Eyes of the Phoenix
by LogicalRaven
Summary: The myth of the Phoenix. This is a romance based on a theory I once read. A story on the great bird and his guardian. Completed
1. Default Chapter

Dark Eyes  
  
"In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is the symbol of high virtue and grace,  
  
of power and prosperity. It represents the union of yin and yang. It was  
  
thought to be a gentle creature, alighting so gently that it crushed  
  
nothing, and eating only dewdrops. It reflected the empress, and only she  
  
could wear the phoenix symbol. Jewelry with the phoenix design showed that  
  
the wearer was a person of high moral values, and so the phoenix could only  
  
be worn by people of importance. The Chinese phoenix was thought to have a  
  
large bill, the neck of a snake, the back of a tortoise, and the tail of a  
  
fish. It carried two scrolls in its bill, and its song included the five  
  
whole notes of the Chinese scale. Its feathers were of the five fundamental colors:  
  
black, white, red, green, and yellow."  
  
A pretty girl with a dark curtain of hair laid her head down on her pillow. Her finger fondled a small amulet of a bird that hung around her neck. She often let her mind wander. Outwards she was a normal 17-year-old girl inwardly she was different. She had a secret she guarded close to her heart.  
  
The summer heat filtered through her open window, and she took a deep breath of the heavy air. Her responsibility, her destiny lay within her small fingers. She was the descendent of a great Chinese empress, and she had been handed down the responsibility of Guardian of the Phoenix.  
  
Only one Phoenix lived at a time, and at the bird's death he erupted into a ball of flames, and was reborn from the ashes. Each Guardian of the Phoenix had to rise out of her own ashes. Their lives were littered with tragedy and heartbreak. She must have seemed so shallow and naïve to those close to her, but her heart was deep. The amulet around her neck could only be worn by a person of high moral values and importance.  
  
Her grandmother was the last Guardian of the Phoenix, and at her death she had passed on the burden to her oldest granddaughter. "This is the curse and gift of our women," she had told her. "Wear this and it will show you the way." The amulet sometimes burned and sometimes was ice cold. She could feel the burdens and the victories of the Phoenix, and where he went she did also. Her tears fell often, and the magic within them was unknown to everyone. They helped heal the anger and pain that surrounded her and the people she choose to be close to.  
  
She closed her eyes and saw the pain on a young boys face. She didn't need to be told what was bothering him. She saw the loss, the pain of death within him. She urged the great bird to help him as she had urged in the past, but his tears could not heal this pain. This was a pain she would have to heal herself. He was so angry, so withdrawn. She had come so close to disclosing her secret to him. She had hoped the kiss of the Guardian would help him release his anger, but she was wrong.  
  
She had dealt with pain herself. Her first love, was taken by the curse of death. She knew that is was a cycle of nature that she could not explain or control. She knew that is was her loves time to join the other side. All of her knowledge could not suppress the pain she felt. The curse she had to live was one of tragedy and how she rose out of each situation would define her reign as Guardian of the Phoenix.  
  
She had allowed herself to become to close to the boy who lived. She sensed a greatness in him that was unmatched by the others that surrounded her. She had personally watched his victories and his defeats. She felt every tear that stung his eye, and she knew every challenge he faced.  
  
She closed her eyes and became the Phoenix. The Phoenix had saved Harry Potter many times, and he held a special place in the boy's heart. Perhaps this is why she couldn't stay away from him. She was drawn to him, and she knew that his burden was equal to her own. She knew his secret. He was the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord.  
  
It was her duty to help him with his destiny; it was her responsibility to walk the path of death next to this boy. She had given him her heart, and he didn't know. One day she would tell him her truth, one day he would know that she and him were the same.  
  
The face of a dark haired boy danced on her eyelids. He had touched her heart and made her cold at the same time. He thought she was shallow and weak, when in truth she was the only one who could ever understand the heaviness on his chest. She wanted to help him, to guide him.  
  
Her life was full of tragedy and heartache; it was the way things were. She also knew his fate. "Neither can live while the other survives." He was marked by death, yet she believed her love could save him. If he would just open his heart she could save him. She needed to show him how to love and be loved. He didn't have to live this life alone. 


	2. Not an Ordinary Life

Thank-you HermioneGreen, I can't believe I made such a careless mistake in my writing (blush) Well, other than the location that Cho arrives at, this chapter hasn't changed..Please keep reading and reviewing.  
  
Chapter One: A Not of Ordinary Life  
  
Cho rose from her sleep as usual, smacking her dry lips together as she protested against the rising sun. The memories from the night before had faded into a dream. She was just an ordinary seventeen-year-old girl, worried about everything that isn't important. The small necklace dangling around her neck was hanging backwards and she arranged it to a more comfortable position. Sometimes when she touched it her mind would wander, but when she tried to remember where her mind had taken her she couldn't.  
  
This was the day she had been looking forward to; she was going to Diagon Alley to get her school supplies for her last year at school. The reason she was so excited was she was going all by herself. She wasn't going to be lonely, she was very popular and she expected to meet up with several of her school chums while she shopped.  
  
As she gazed at her expression and tried to detangle her mess of jet black hair the necklace caught her eye. She squinted her eyes as she concentrated on the reflection of the tiny silver bird, willing herself to remember her dream. "Cho, are you awake?" her mother said loudly as she knocked on her door. Cho jumped suddenly, "yes mum." She continued brushing her hair, purposely avoiding her reflection.  
  
Cho smiled at her perfect room. She was a Ravenclaw, and they were precise and detail oriented people. She selected her perfectly pressed outfit and robe from her closet. When she was convinced she looked right, she headed out her bedroom door. After all she had a reputation to keep.  
  
She gave the fireplace a despairing look as she passed it by, she hated traveling by floo powder, but it would be Christmas before she would be eighteen and able to take her apparation test. "Cho, make sure you eat a good breakfast, I don't want you getting weak while your out today," her mother said sternly. Cho rolled her eyes as she spread a bit of honey on her toast. Her mother was always trying to force her to eat, perhaps the Asian in her father had finally rubbed off on her mother. As everyone knows, Asian women are notorious for over feeding people against their will.  
  
Cho Chang was Chinese on her father's side. Her mother was originally from Spain, but moved to England when she was just a baby. Cho often thought of her mixed up background, she was proud of her heritage. Her background separated her from her peers, and she often said her Chinese beauty mixed with her Spanish mysterious was what kept the boys interested.  
  
The Chang house was spectacular, more like a museum than a living establishment. Her father was a collector of fine art from the Far East. The finest porcelains and rugs were showcased in every room. They weren't rich, but they were far beyond comfortable. While she wasn't a pureblood wizard of English decent, but she could trace her magical linage back to the early Chinese dynasties on her father's side.  
  
She took a few bites of her toast, and tried to sneak out of the watchful eyes of her mother. "What time should I expect you to return?" Cho let out a frustrated sigh, "in a few hours, maybe longer." "I'll have Alford fix your something for lunch," she responded back. Alford was the Chang house elf, her father had won him in a card game in his youth. Their actually family house elf, from her mother's side, had died when Cho was only a baby, and it was very unusual for a house elf to die.  
  
Cho grabbed a hand full of a greenish powder from a silver jar on top of the mantel; she stepped into the fireplace and clearly spoke the words, "DIAGON ALLEY." As she stepped out of the fireplace at the Leaky Caldron, she felt a smile creep across her face. She had been so cooped up all summer, forced to read books on ancient Chinese culture and take those dreadful Chinese language lessons. She was grateful to finally be around what she considered normal witches and wizards. She walked to the secret wall in the back of the bar, and tapped the bricks in their secret pattern.  
  
"Hey Chang," wave one of her school friends and her twin sister. Padma Patril was a year younger than Cho, but that didn't matter. Cho had grown fond of her over the past few years. "How was your summer?" Cho asked politely. Padma's sister, Pavarti, let out a annoying snicker. "Good, and yours?" Padma said jabbing her elbow into her sister's side. "What's so funny?" Cho said suddenly offened for not understand the reason for Pavarti's snicker. "I heard you were going out with Michael Corner," Pavarti explained. "I am," Cho said quickly. Pavarti tried to wipe the smile off her face, "it's just he dated a Weasley."  
  
Cho rolled her eyes, it amazed her sometimes how petty girls could be. "Anyways, I thought you had a thing with Potter," Pavarti continued. "Well, I might have, if hadn't been such a prat," Cho said coolly. Pavarti smiled, Harry had ignored her when he had taken her to the Yule Ball, and she understood what Cho was talking about.  
  
"Well, we better get going. I'll see you on the train," Padma said sweetly. Cho waved as the twins walked off. She pulled a small parchment from her robes and tried to decide where she was going to go first. She lifted the cuff of her robes, surely her parents would understand her needed a new set of robes for her final year. She strolled happily down the street, trying to decide whether or not to purchase a new robe set, when a new business caught her eye.  
  
It was the joke shop owned and operated by Fred and George Weasley. She wasn't sure what persuaded her to go in, but she did. It looked just as she pictured it, and she beamed as she saw an oddly dressed red head standing behind the counter.  
  
"Why, Miss Chang, can I interest you in the latest tongue torchers? New and improved," greeted Fred Weasley. "Nice suit," Cho replied back. "This is the finest dragon skin money can buy," he bragged. He held out a handful on pranked candies, trying his best to tempt her into a sale. "No thanks, I just wanted to have a look around," Cho said holding her hand up. "Well, let me know if I can be of any assistance," Fred gave a gracious bow and dashed off to greet another customer.  
  
She let her eyes fondle the many gags and pranks that littered the store walls. Had she been more of a practical joker, this would be a dream come true. She was just about to pick up a portable swamp kit when a cold sensation hit her chest. She felt the chill penetrate clear down to her bones, and when she finally regained her composer she understood why.  
  
Draco Malfoy had entered and was rudely snickering about how pathetic this joke shop was. She tried to hide herself behind a shelf, she always felt cold when Malfoy was around. "Chang?" he bellowed as he spotted her. She forced a smile, and they tried to ignore him as best she could. "What the hell are you doing in a place like this?" he continued. She didn't answer. "I thought better of you, being from such a prestigious family," Malfoy jabbed his partner in crime Goyle in the side and both boys began to laugh. "Why don't you leave her alone," Fred chimed in from behind the counter. "Weasley," Malfoy dared. "Unless you gentleman plan on buying something, leave. No, on second thought, I wouldn't sell you anything in this shop, so pick up your slimy Slytherin asses and vacate the premises." Malfoy probably would have pushed the situation further, but he was out of his territory, so he just gave Fred a evil snare and headed towards the door. Cho felt a icky sensation travel though her body as Malfoy shot her a flirtatious wink as the door closed behind him.  
  
She decided not to leave the joke shop until enough time had passed for Malfoy to move on. She dreaded being near him; and as she stepped outside again the cold in her chest had finally melted away.  
  
The day passed quickly as she purchased her school books, a few new school robes and a broom kit. She was quite satisfied with the way her day had gone, then it happened. That burning sensation filtered which started in her chest spread up her neck and into her face. Her eyes found the one person in the crowd she was hoping not to see. Harry Potter was with is typical gang, two red heads and one girl with bushy brown hair. Her eyes quickly scanned the street searching for a quick getaway. She felt a surge of anger as she heard Harry's voice playing in the back of her mind, "don't cry." How dare he, what did he know about losing someone he loved. He was so heartless.  
  
"Damn it," she swore, she had paused to long and there was no use in trying to escape. Hermione Granger gave her a pleasant smile as she passed the group of friends. She narrowed her eyes as she saw Ron Weasley with a teasing grin spread across his face. He was obviously going to make a joke about her after she passed. Cho felt her face go deep crimson as she locked eyes with Harry, why did he have that affect on her. She knew it would be hours before she'd be able to shake those green eyes from her thoughts.  
  
She was grateful that the encounter had been brief. She patted her stomach as it gave an angry grumble. It was time to head home, the lunch Alford had probably already prepared seemed very enticing at that moment. 


	3. Encounters

This story is slow right now I know, but if you give me a chance you'll understand the direction that I'm taking it. Thank-you to all those who are reviewing, sniffles, I love you guys...Well, here is the third chapter, enjoy! Remember nothing is my own!  
  
Chapter Three: Encounters  
  
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him his equal, but he will have a power the Dark Lord knows not..and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.." The ghastly figure of Professor Trelawney faded into the darkness. The great Phoenix raised his great head and let those soft notes escape from his beak.  
  
Those green eyes, well up with tears, not the tears that normally fell from those of a young man, but deeper tears. Her grandmother had once referred to tears such as these as tears from the soul. As she looked upon his narrow face with her borrowed eyes she understood his pain.  
  
Cho awoke her chest feeling like it was on fire and her mind swimming. She subconsciously grabbed the tiny bird dangling from her neck, her heavy breathing breaking the stillness of the morning. Like always, she could remember nothing from her dream, and the heat she felt radiating off the amulet was now fading.  
  
She pulled herself from the softness of her bed and walked over to her mirror. The light from the twilight glared off the silvery surface. Her reflection beamed back at her. She finally managed to catch her breath. She shot herself a comforting smile and turned away from her reflection.  
  
Her things were neatly packed at the foot of her bed, and in a few hours she would be heading to London to catch the Hogwarts Express for her final voyage to Hogwarts. As she turned back to the mirror the reflection of the sliver pendant caught her eyes, she willed herself to stare at it, and her mind once again started swimming.  
  
The silver pendent started glowing a deep emerald green and suddenly turned into a vacant eye. The imaged pulled back and she could make out two deep eyes staring at her through the mirror. She almost gasped, but she didn't she just kept watching. She saw the narrow face from her dream, the boy with tears from his soul creeping down his cheeks. He lay with his head back on an old pillow in a small room. In his hands was a picture. He stared vacantly at the picture, slowly moving his fingers along the edge of the paper.  
  
His room was much different than hers it was empty, cold. His trunk was open at the edge of his bed, and the unorganized clutter gave the appeared of someone who had been mindlessly thinking. She slowly lifted her hand, reaching out for his face. When she felt the cold glassy surface of the mirror the image faded and her head fell on the dresser.  
  
She slowly cracked her eyes and the streaming morning sun burned though her eye lids. She lifted her head off the wooden surface of her dresser and caught her reflection. She almost remember something, but as soon as the memory surfaced it left. To her it was just another dream, and she would never be able to recall it.  
  
She rubbed her aching eyes and picked up her hairbrush. She slowly ran the black bristle though her shiny hair. She stopped suddenly and let her hand run across her chest, a bright red mark had formed underneath her pendant, as her fingers softly ran across it she bit her bottom lip. She wished she could remember that dream, but her mind remained silent.  
  
The morning was the same as every September 1st morning had been. She greeted her parents as Alford fed them an unbelievable breakfast feast. The aroma of sausage and bacon, pancakes and fresh maple syrup, filtered though the house, she almost regretted having to leave again. Cho luggage was already loaded before breakfast was finished. Her normal ride to King's Crossing was in an old style Mercedes, which had an expanding spell casted on the trunk.  
  
Cho had been shielded from the muggle world her entire life, in fact the only time she had even seen muggles was at King's Crossing. As she walked gracefully thorough platform 9 ¾ she felt the magic of her world re-enter her body.  
  
She almost felt a twinge of pain filter through her mind as she slowly began to face the realization she was in her final year. Her father helped her load her trunk into the lower storage compartments on the train, and her parent kissed her goodbye as she disappeared into the body of the train.  
  
She wasn't sure why this year felt so different, but it did. She smiled as she walked into a compartment occupied with a group of Ravenclaw Seventh years, including her boyfriend Michael Corner.  
  
"Hey, how was your holiday?" he asked her nervously as she made her appearance. "Good," she said flatly, she wasn't sure exactly what the status of their relationship was, they hadn't even owled each other since June. "I'm sorry, I didn't get a chance to write you back," Michael started, but Cho held up her hand and motioned that she didn't need him to explain. Her experience from the morning was still haunting her mind, she wished she could remember what her dream had been about. She subconsciously ran her fingers over the red mark burnt into her chest. She didn't even notice when Michael started holding her hand, she was physically in the train, but her mind was somewhere much further away.  
  
"So your parents make you take those terrible Chinese lesson again this summer?" Marietta, one of Cho many Ravenclaw friends, asked. Cho didn't answer, she honestly didn't even hear the question. "Are you still mad at me about the whole Potter thing?" Marietta spat when Cho ignored her. "What?" Cho asked suddenly realizing that she was being addressed. Marietta stared angrily at Cho, her arms crossed firmly across her chest. She looked nervously around the compartment as the many once friendly faces stared at her. She stood up suddenly shaking Michael's hand off hers, "I need some air."  
  
Before anyone could question her she was out the door. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she rushed frantically thought the crowd in the hallway. The train gave a gentle lunge as it started forward, Cho lost her balance slightly and felt her chest constrict. "Get a grip," Cho scowled at herself. She finally managed to drag her eyes up from her feet, and the sight that awaited them caused her to let out a soft moan. All she remember were those green eyes, she tried hard to search her mind for any trace, any clue of why she remember those eyes.  
  
She slowly lifted her head off the train's stiff seat. "Are you okay?" asked a kind voice. Cho smiled back at the worried freckled face of Ginny Weasley. "Yea, I think so. What happened," she looked around, a bit confused. "I don't know, you just passed out," Ginny explained. Cho felt the heat rising from her chest as her dazed mind started putting two and two together. She let her eyes slowly wander around the compartment she was in and she found what her eyes had been dreading. "Hello," she said in a faint whisper as her eyes paused on Harry Potter. "Er, how are feeling?" Harry asked politely. "I'm fine," Cho choked out as she pulled herself into a sitting position.  
  
She pulled her hand up to her face and muttered, "this is so embarrassing."  
  
"It's lucky Harry here caught you. If he hadn't you would have busted your nose right on that door handle," Neville said cheerful. Cho felt that heat burning through her face, and she kept telling herself to breathe, "thank-you." "Don't mention it," Harry said modestly. "I don't know what made me black out like..." she began to trail off as the sight of Harry's green eyes caught hers. She didn't intentionally stare, but it must have been an interesting sight. "Cho, are you okay?" Harry asked. "Huh?" she lowered her now scarlet face. "I've gotta go." She dashed quickly out the compartment door, wishing she could just disappear.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" she asked herself as she walked swiftly down the corridor. She felt the pendant as it sent a searing cold up her spine. She grabbed its ice coldness off her skin, and looked down at the tiny bird.  
  
"What is happening to me?" she asked herself. 


	4. Another Time, Another Place

I just received a review not to long ago asking why Fawkes was the only Phoenix in my story...Well I've been reading the mythology on the Phoenix for quite sometime now, and no matter what culture you look at the theory about there only being one bird seems almost universal. When Harry is purchasing his wand, it makes mention of other Phoenixes, but never specifies what time period they might have come from...Rowling is very careful with her words, and although she makes references to other Phoenixes she never actually says more than one exists at a time. Rowlings has followed the myth of the Phoenix very carefully, so I figured I would also..  
  
Thanks to everyone who is reviewing...It really means a lot to me!  
  
Please continue to read and review..and remember nothing is my own!  
  
Chapter Four: Another Time, Another Place  
  
It is amazing how the mind of a young girl works. Cho was so panicked, so rattled by the train ride, that she was positive that entire seventh year would be a disaster, but all her fears and woes had disappeared by the second day. In fact she hadn't even felt her mind wander since she arrived at Hogwarts, she blamed her odd experience the morning of the 1st on something she had eaten the night before.  
  
Cho had never been one that struggled with making friends. She didn't even really have to try very hard. All her life people had been drawn to her. The red mark on her chest had faded and was barely noticeable to the naked eye now, and the amulet itself hadn't changed temperature. Cho sometimes wondered why she just didn't pitch the necklace into her jewelry box, and be done with it.  
  
She hummed pleasantly to herself as she walked to her transfiguration lesson that wonderful first Tuesday of her seventh year.  
  
"You have such a beautiful voice," said one of the many underclassmen Ravenclaws that was always swimming around her. "Thank-you," she said as she picked back up on her tune.  
  
Her life finally felt like it was back on track, she was happy for the first time in well over a year. She had been so distraught since Cedric had died, she often wondered if the reason she couldn't remember her dreams was because they were of Cedric. Yet, lately she almost felt a peace when she thought about him. She remember the kind words of her grandmother, "don't fear death child, it only passing of one of life's greatest adventures."  
  
She took a deep breath; she wasn't going to be known as the crybaby this year. She took her seat in her N.E.W.T transfiguration class as Professor McGonagall greeted the class in a first of the year fashion, Cho held her head up proudly, she was going to have good year after all.  
  
This might have just positive thinking, the fears and woes that Cho had faced on the train smacked in the face as she headed to the Great Hall for lunch that day. She felt like her lung were running out of air, and the bitter coldness seemed to engulf her. She felt like someone had just dropped her into a bucket of ice water, and her body almost gave to it's own weight as she realized something had grabbed her hand.  
  
"Hello Cho," said a cold voice.  
  
She tired to catch her breath, she tried to get her eyes to adjust, but the pain that was searing through her entire body was crippling her senses. She felt the coldness back her into a wall, and as she saw the image of the boy in front of her, she realized he had pinned her with his arms.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" he asked hatefully.  
  
"Leave me alone," she muttered trying to muster all the strength she had to get away.  
  
She saw him turn his face and laugh at his friends standing behind him.  
  
"Why should I?" he badgered.  
  
"Because she told you to," said another voice.  
  
Cho finally realized who it was that had backed her into the wall, it was Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Potter," Malfoy said hatefully as he turned his attention away from Cho.  
  
"She said leave her alone," Harry had his wand drawn as was daring Malfoy to reach for his.  
  
"What am I offending your girlfriend, or wait, I think she dumped you," Malfoy laughed coldly.  
  
"Missing Daddy?" Harry jeered.  
  
Malfoy's eyes grew cold, and he reared on Cho one last time, "this isn't over." She felt his cold lips slip on her cheek as he turned and left. She could hear his cold laugh echoing down the hallway.  
  
"Are you okay?" Harry asked as he pulled Cho off the wall.  
  
She didn't speak, but she felt the coldness that had engulfed her melt when he slid his warm arms around her.  
  
"Goodness, you're freezing!" he said suddenly as she let herself collapse into his arms. "We need to get you to Madame Pomfrey."  
  
"No," Cho finally managed, "I'll be fine."  
  
Cho saw Harry give an understanding smile as he tried to help her towards the Great Hall. Had she been in her right mind she probably would have been embarrassed beyond words, but she was still so shaken and cold. She felt herself regaining strength with ever step, and when they finally reached the doors to the hall she was able to hold herself up again without assistance.  
  
"Thank-you Harry," she said now feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks.  
  
"Malfoy's a prat, just let me know if he bothers you again," he replied back.  
  
Harry smiled warmly as he turned to enter the Great Hall when he stopped. She wasn't sure where she found the courage, but something had made her reach out a grab his hand.  
  
"I'm sorry about everything that happened last year," she said suddenly.  
  
"Yea, me too," Harry replied back, not letting his eyes meet hers.  
  
"Do you hate me?" she asked quickly, like it had been on her mind for quite sometime.  
  
"No," he said instantly.  
  
"I wouldn't blame you," she replied back.  
  
Harry's head was now facing forward and his emerald green eyes were piercing hers.  
  
"You have the most amazing eyes," she said without thinking. When she realized what she had said her face turned a deep scarlet and she lowered her head to her shoes. Harry's face was also a deep shade of red and he smiled to acknowledge the compliment.  
  
They stood there in an awkward silence for a few minuets, and Cho began to wonder why he hadn't left. Like he had been reading her thoughts he laughed and asked, "uh, Cho?"  
  
"Yes," she said eagerly.  
  
"Can I have my hand back?" Harry tried to smile.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," she jerked back, now beyond the point of embarrassed.  
  
She caught his eyes lingering towards her chest, and just as she was about to get offended he made a reach for her necklace.  
  
"This is a Phoenix, isn't it?" he asked examining the pendant in his hand.  
  
"Yes, my grandmother gave it to me before she died," Cho explained.  
  
"Magnificent birds," Harry muttered.  
  
"Bird," Cho corrected, she wasn't sure where that came from, she wasn't an expert on Phoenix's or anything, but something deep in her mind addressed his statement.  
  
"Only one Phoenix lives at a time," she lowered her head trying to figure out where that came from.  
  
Harry smiled as she released the small pendant from his grip, "I didn't know that."  
  
Cho smiled as he turned and disappeared into the crowd of the Great Hall. She let her small fingers touch the small bird hanging around her neck and whispered to herself, "neither did I." 


	5. Overheard Rumors

I wish I had more time tonight, I'd personally thank each and every one of you who are giving me such kind praise about my story..I know it isn't perfect, but I'm trying my best....Remember nothing is my own..  
  
Please continue to read and review...  
  
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Chapter five: Overheard Rumors  
  
"I really like you Harry," Cho felt her feet carrying her across the room, her warm tears trickling down her face. His beautiful green eyes staring affright as she approaching. She was now inched away from his face, his eyes crossing staring down at her freckled nose. She slowly drew her lips together, now only moments away from feeling his. A sudden fire erupted in her chest, and the room around them was a blaze.  
  
A cold hiss filtered through the room as the fire smoldered out in front of her eyes. She soared above the ground, letting those sweet notes creep from her throat, hoping to ease the tension in the young boy below. She sped towards the ceiling as the great serpent awoke from his demented sleep.  
  
"You've got to help him, he'll be killed," she told herself.  
  
She did what was in her nature, she allowed her wings to carry her towards the great beast, and she jabbed violently at his cold yellow eyes. It was all she could do, it was up to him now. She watched for afar as the great serpent jabbed his venomous fang deep into the young boys arm. She inwardly smiled because she knew her tears could save him.  
  
"Cho, get up we're going to be late for class," Marietta said hatefully as she shook Cho awake.  
  
"I'm getting up," Cho said as she rubbed her drooping eyes. Another forgotten dream, had come and gone. She bit her lip feeling her racing heart in her chest.  
  
"Why can't I remember," she said to herself.  
  
"Remember what?" Marietta said as she stared at Cho.  
  
"My dreams," she explained.  
  
Mareitta rolled her eyes and turned to leave the dorm. Cho let her fingers dance across her small necklace once again; her dreams had been getting worse. She couldn't remember them, but the emotions she felt when she awoke were so intense. Cho quickly gathered her things and pulled herself together, she felt less than perfect, but today she didn't seem to care.  
  
"It's just this seventh year stress," she tried to convince herself as she tore down the corridor towards her first class.  
  
Cho always felt so much better after her first class, all the mysterious about her dreams seemed to pass as her head felt full of charms and spells. When Professor Sprout let them out of class ten whole minuets early, Cho felt the weight of her term binding down on her. She had a full hour until her next class, and without thinking she let her feet carry her in the direction of the library.  
  
It didn't take her long to get comfortable in her favorite seat, the big blue chair behind the middle bookcase. She always felt so safe there; it was well out of view from people entering the library. Cho had no soon opened her magical history book when she head two familiar voices taking a rest on the seats just opposite the bookcase shielding her.  
  
"So why were you and Cho holding hands then?" Ron Weasley asked teasingly.  
  
"We weren't holding hands," Harry spat.  
  
"That isn't what I heard," Ron egged on.  
  
Harry let out a frustrated sigh, "Malfoy was bugging her, so I lent her a hand, I would have done the same for anybody."  
  
Ron tried to sneak a chocolate frog into his mouth, "she quite pretty ya know."  
  
He chewed up his candy a bit then continued, "but a bit of whiner, don't you agree?"  
  
"Trust me, you have no idea how annoying her crying can be," Harry said as the two boy broke into a fit of laughter.  
  
"A whiner?" Cho thought to herself, "how dare he."  
  
"So, you don't fancy her anymore than?" Ron asked casually.  
  
"No, how many times do I have to tell you, I don't care if I never saw her again," Harry said obviously annoyed.  
  
Ron held up his hands in peace, "Geeze mate, it was only a question."  
  
"So, did you read the paper this morning?" Ron lowered his voice, causing Cho to have to lean towards the bookshelf to hear what he was saying.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, he didn't seem to be much keener not his subject, "their still saying Sirius is," Harry stopped and lowered his head, "was a deadeater."  
  
"Don't worry, I mean, I'm sure when it is all said and done, his name will be cleared," Ron tried.  
  
Harry gritted his teeth at the thought, "I hate the ministry, Sirius Black was a hero."  
  
Cho threw her hand over her mouth did she hear correctly? Sirius Black?  
  
"I'm sorry mate," Ron tired to console, he was pretty pathetic at it.  
  
Harry looked away and tried to focus on something on the opposite side of the room.  
  
"Hogmeade trip is coming up," Ron tried to change the subject.  
  
"Yea, I guess it is," Harry flatly.  
  
Ron threw another chocolate frog into his mouth, "so I guess you, me and Hermione again."  
  
"Well," Harry started, "I told Pavarti Patril that I'd meet up with her there, she wants to discuss the upcoming Quidditch match."  
  
"Bloody hell Harry, how come you always get the good looking girls?" Ron asked amazed.  
  
"I don't," Harry said suddenly, "it isn't a date or anything."  
  
Cho was leaning far into the bookcase, desperate for every single word. She didn't even see it coming. "Hey Cho," said a pleasantly clueless Padma Patril.  
  
Cho nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around to face her fellow Ravenclaw. She quickly turned her head back towards the bookshelf, and noticed the sudden silence from the other side.  
  
"Everything okay?" Padma asked concerned.  
  
"Yes, I just got here a second ago, I needed to get some studying done," Cho said slightly louder than her typically voice.  
  
Padma plopped down on the bench next to Cho chair, "so, how is your day going?"  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, "not bad, I mean I don't want to whine about it or anything."  
  
Padma looked a bit confused, "I never said you were whining about it."  
  
"Well, I just know some people in this school think I'm just a pretty face, but I whine too much," Cho said coldly.  
  
"You shouldn't listen to people," Padma said still not catching on.  
  
Cho finally stood up and actually yelled at the bookcase, "I'M SORRY IF I ANNOYED ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T CARE IF HE EVER SEES ME AGAIN!"  
  
She wasn't sure what had made her so mad, and normally the amazed look from Padma would have caused her to blush feverishly. She stood there a moment, waiting for a reaction, any reaction. When she didn't hear Harry or Ron say anything she clinched her fist at her side, flung her bag over her shoulder and stormed towards the door.  
  
She felt Harry's eyes finally catch sight of her, and she shot him a dreadfully cold look.  
  
"Cho, wait," Harry made a move to stop her, "you shouldn't have heard that."  
  
"Damn right I shouldn't have, I hate to have to wonder what the famous Harry Potter is saying about me behind my back!" she spat.  
  
"I didn't mean," Harry started.  
  
"Than what did you mean?" Cho reared.  
  
The entire library watched in awe as the quite sweet Cho put the famous Harry Potter in his place. Even the annoyed librarian seemed speechless.  
  
"I am so sorry I bothered you the other day, next time don't bother helping me out. I'd rather not have someone talking behind my back calling me a whiner," Cho finished.  
  
She turned to the door then suddenly stopped, "and I wasn't holding his hand!" she spat in Ron's direction.  
  
Harry stared at her in a daze for a minuet then decided to press his luck a bit further.  
  
"I was wrong, I should have said those things," Harry chased after her.  
  
"Those things?" Cho questioned coldly.  
  
"I shouldn't have called you a whiner," Harry tried.  
  
Cho shook her head, "well, I mean why not, if that is what you think about me. I must whine a lot if you don't care to ever see my ugly mug again!"  
  
"Cho, your not ugly," Harry offered.  
  
Cho smiled hatefully, "oh, that's right I'm just pretty face. I obviously have no other decent qualities!"  
  
"Cho, I don't want you to leave like this," Harry insisted, now daring to touch her arm in hopes of slowing her down.  
  
"Don't touch me," she snapped as she stopped sharply and pulled away from his touch.  
  
Harry bottom lip quivered as he looked like he was about to say something.  
  
"What? Do you think I'm going to confess my feeling for you again? Do you think I'm going to bat my girly eyes and say oh Harry I like you so much," she mocked.  
  
"No," Harry said offensively.  
  
"They why chase after me?" Cho questioned.  
  
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings?" Harry said quickly.  
  
Cho let out a slight laugh, "since when have you ever cared about my feelings?"  
  
Harry didn't answer. Cho let her eyes wander to his lowered face, "that's what I thought."  
  
She started to walk off again.  
  
"Please, can you let me explain," Harry demanded as he finally lifted his eyes from his shoes.  
  
Cho didn't want to look at him, but she did and those powerful green eyes pierced her soul. She felt a warm sensation burning against her bare chest. The room seemed to become foggy, and her breathing grew heavy in the thick air. It was a spectacular feeling that was sweeping over her, like gliding in the air on a broomstick. She felt so happy, so at ease.  
  
Then it hit her, what she was doing, why she felt so light at that moment. She pulled back to the astonished face of Harry Potter and her hand covered her crimson face.  
  
"I'm sorry," she muttered before running off down the corridor. The collection on onlookers pointing and clapping at the show Cho and Harry had just given them.  
  
"Bloody hell, I can't believe she did that," she heard Ron Weasley jeer as she disappeared into the darkness of the castle. 


	6. Girl Talk

I'm not sure how good this chapter is going to be..it is like 12:30 at night and I have to up at 6 (yawn) so I was half asleep as I wrote this..Thank-you to all my reviewers..Hopefully I'll find time this weekend to send a personal response to all your wonderful reviews..You guys are the greatest.  
  
Remember nothing is my own..and (yawn)  
  
Remember to read and review.. *****************************************************  
  
Chapter six: Girl Talk  
  
Cho face had become a permanent shade of dark pink. She heard the chatter in the hallways, the finger pointing in the Great Hall and the taunts from each and every Slytherin she came across. How could she have done what she did, why did she do it?  
  
At first she thought it was a bad dream, she thought she could just pretend it never happened, but news (especially news this good) travels fast in the halls of Hogwarts. It seemed her fellow students were talking about her encounter with Potter even before she got to her next class. She had run as fast as her legs would carry her, hoping no one had seen, but those terrible words of Ron Weasley were ringing in her ear, "Bloody hell, I can't believe she did that."  
  
"Look it's the Potter kisser," taunted Pansy Parkinson as she passed Cho in the hallways between classes.  
  
Cho shot her a cold glare as she passed her by. "Just ignore her," said Padma Patril as she gave her an understanding look.  
  
To top off all of Cho's problems, her dreams had been getting worse. Now she was waking up in cold sweats and screaming in her sleep. She had gotten use to the dramatic temperature change that her necklace causes, but she luckily hadn't had any more incidents where she did something or said something unexpected.  
  
Her boyfriend, Michael Corner, hadn't exactly been ecstatic about her kissing Harry Potter in front of the entire school, they hadn't broken up, but they weren't exactly together. Then there was the subject of Harry Potter himself; she hadn't been able to face him, although he had tried to talk to her on several occasions.  
  
"Cho? Your in a daze again," Padma said poking her fellow Ravenclaw in the side as she walked passed her classroom.  
  
"Oh," Cho said startled, "I don't know what's wrong with me here lately." Padma passed her a sympatric smile as she continued on down the hallway.  
  
Cho tried to smile back, but she wasn't in the mood to smile. In fact, she hadn't been in the mood to smile all year. She took her seat and waited for class to start.  
  
"That is all my life is, waiting," she thought miserably to herself.  
  
Professor McGonagall started the transfigure lesson, completely unaware of the transformation that was happening right in front of her eyes. Cho looked down at her textbook, but she wasn't reading the pages, she had too many thoughts in her head to add to them at his particular moment.  
  
The rest of the day went about the same for Cho, she tried her best to ignore the Slytherins and the pointing younger students as she walked to and from class. At the end of her grueling day, she headed to the library. Whoever said that the seventh year was the most difficult wasn't kidding.  
  
She had found a new spot to study, since her old studying spot was tainted. Cho sighed as she pulled opened her bag. She didn't mind studying really; she was a Ravenclaw after all. It was just her choices of studying location that made her sigh. She couldn't go the Ravenclaw common room in fear she would run into Michael, and she hated coming to the library after what happened with her and Harry.  
  
"The Salem Republic of Witches and Wizards was founded in 1809 by Alavastor Witchgood," she read aloud to herself. She had a big Magical History test that upcoming Monday.  
  
When she lifted her eyes from her text she saw Potter and his gang slowly making their way to the routine table. She turned her eyes quickly, hoping to go unnoticed.  
  
"Harry, look who's over there?" Ron jeered.  
  
Cho jumped quickly and stared over at the group, "why are they talking so loudly?" she thought to herself.  
  
"Ron, just shut-up already. Why are you such an insensitive git?" Hermione hissed.  
  
Cho was a good 50 feet away from them, but she could hear them as clearly as if she was standing next to them. She unknowingly fingered the small bird dangling from her small neck. It was warm to the touch, and with every stroke it grew warmer. She slowly felt her eyes closing, as she tried to tune into the conversation across the room.  
  
"I am not a insensitive git," Ron defended.  
  
Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back onto Harry, "you should go talk to her."  
  
"Hermione, she doesn't want to talk to me, I've already tried," Harry argued.  
  
"Yea, she's the one being insensitive is you ask me," Ron said bitterly.  
  
Hermione snarled her nose in frustration, "I don't know what I'm going to do with you two. I mean last year you could barely keep your stomach around her, and this year you don't even care?" Hermione said fiercely eyeing Harry.  
  
"Things change," Harry informed her.  
  
"Quit being so insensitive Hermione, I mean Harry had been though a lot this past year," Ron said as he smiled like he was the most brilliant person on the planet.  
  
"What do you know about crushes Ronald Weasley?' Hermione retorted. Ron's cheeks when blood red as his wide blue eyes stared at Hermione in shock.  
  
"Anyways, it has been a few days since you last tried to talk to her," Hermione continued, turning her attention back to Harry.  
  
"Why don't you try talking to her," Harry said almost in a joking tone.  
  
"Fine," Hermione stated, "maybe I'll just do that."  
  
Harry tried to find his voice to stop her but it was too late, she was marching across the library. Harry glanced at Ron, who gave him a shrug.  
  
Cho opened her eyes still letting her fingers fondle the silver groves of her pendant. She saw the bushy haired Hermione Granger walking across the library in her direction. She had never been fond of Hermione, she always seemed like such a know it all.  
  
"Hello Cho," she said brightly taking a seat next to her.  
  
"Uh, hello," Cho said slightly puzzled.  
  
Hermione turned her eyes toward Ron and Harry, and Cho's eyes followed.  
  
"They aren't that bad you know," Hermione offered.  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes a bit trying to figure out where she was going with this.  
  
"Harry and Ron that is," Hermione stated as if Cho's expression was asking for clarification.  
  
"Oh, I know," Cho said flatly.  
  
Hermione tried to give her a pleasant smile, "I don't blame you for being so angry with them. They can be a bit tactless at times."  
  
"A bit," Cho agreed.  
  
Cho released her necklace and started to gather her books together, the tension of the situation was too much to bear.  
  
"Why don't you like me?" Hermione finally asked.  
  
"Huh?" Cho said surprised.  
  
Hermione stared at her with a hurt expression, "you got upset last year when Harry said he was going to meet me at the Three Broom Sticks."  
  
"Well, we were on a date," Cho said like it should have been obvious.  
  
"I know, I explained to Harry how insensitive he was about how he told you about our prearranged meeting," Hermione chuckled.  
  
"You did?" Cho asked almost in a cold tone.  
  
"I mean it wasn't a big deal or anything," Hermione assured her.  
  
Cho bit her bottom lip and finally confessed, "well, if you really liked somebody, how would you feel if they told you on your first date they wanted to go meet up with their X girlfriend."  
  
"X girlfriend? Cho, please tell me you didn't believe that horrible Skeeter article," Hermione said slightly offended.  
  
"Oh come off it, the whole school knows you two dated," Cho spat.  
  
"We didn't date," Hermione stated, "we're just friends, we're always going to be just friends."  
  
Cho lowered her head a bit in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, it's really none of my business."  
  
"No, I can see why you might have acted jealous. I would have probably acted the same way," Hermione lied.  
  
"No you wouldn't have, you went to the dance with Krum. You didn't even flinch. I heard when he asked you," Cho stopped and smiled, "you laughed at him and told him you weren't going to help him win the tournament."  
  
Hermione felt her face go red, "I did."  
  
"My gosh, when Cedric asked me I almost had a heart attack on the spot, I was so nervous," Cho confessed. "Not that Cedric is anything like Victor. I mean Krum is a professional quidditch player and all." she added.  
  
"Oh, I was nervous alright, but that night when I got back to the common room I turned that nervousness into anger," Hermione said mostly to herself.  
  
"Why what happened?" Cho pushed.  
  
"Well, I walked in on Harry and Ron dragging on how they got turned down for the Ball," Hermione started.  
  
Cho lowered her head since she had been the one who had turned Harry down.  
  
"They started badgering me, saying I could just go with one of them, and," Hermione finally caught herself.  
  
"Well, it isn't important," she muttered trying to change the subject.  
  
Cho laughed, "boys, can't live with and can't live without them."  
  
"Oh, I could do without them," Hermione laughed.  
  
Cho smiled and nodded in agreement.  
  
The two girls sat there staring at the floor for a few minuets, it really was the first time the two had held a conversation. And Cho was thinking Hermione wasn't all that bad.  
  
"Cho, I really think you should talk to Harry," Hermione finally blurted out.  
  
Cho closed her eyes thinking about that embarrassing moment when she pulled back and say Harry's astonished face. She threw her hands to her flushed face and shook her head.  
  
"He's really been though a lot these past few months," Hermione continued.  
  
"I know, his God father died," Cho said without thinking.  
  
"How did you know that?" Hermione asked a little surprised, not many people knew of Harry's Godfather.  
  
"Sirius Black right?" Cho questioned.  
  
"That's right, but how do you know that?" Hermione asked again.  
  
Cho lowered her head to the floor and brought her eyebrows together, "I don't know, I just do."  
  
Hermione bit her bottom lip trying to determine if Cho was lying or not, "did you overheard them talking about Sirius that day in the library?"  
  
"He fell, thought a veil of some sort. There are voices behind it, but you can't talk to them. They wouldn't let Harry save him. Harry thought if he just pulled back that tattered cloth that his Godfather would jump back out, alive. He had so much rage, so much anger. He preformed an unforgivable curse on the deadeater who murdered his Godfather. I remember the battle, as Dumbledore tried to defend Harry from Voldemort. Harry, he was possessed, and Voldemort tried to get Dumbledore to kill Harry. The prophecy," Cho muttered quietly as if it were an incomplete thought randomly going though her mind.  
  
"You remember?" Hermione said puzzled.  
  
"I don't know how, it was almost like I was there," Cho said a little nervous about her confessions.  
  
"But you weren't," Hermione said frankly.  
  
"I know," Cho stopped and eyed Hermione, "but I've been dreaming about it." It was first time Cho had ever been able to recall anything from he dream.  
  
Hermione stared at the chill bumps forming on Cho's arms. Cho was shivering slightly, and the small pendent hanging around her neck was glowing bright blue.  
  
"Cho, your necklace?" Hermione pointed.  
  
Cho slowly lifted it off her chest, "it has been doing that a lot lately."  
  
"What is it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"A charm my grandmother gave me before she died. She said if I wore it, it would show me the way," Cho smiled as she stared at the silver bird. 


	7. On The Other Hand

First, let me apologize for the terrible last chapter..I was really tired when I wrote it, and well it didn't come out exactly how I wanted it to, but you get the general idea. Cho is still trying to figure out what is happening to her, and in a few chapters everything will start coming together. Well, thank-you reviewers...I was going to publish my personalized thank-you list and responses with this chapter, but I'm not quite finished with it yet, and I want to get this on the site tonight..Remember keep reading and Reviewing and again Nothing is my Own!  
  
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Chapter seven: On the Other Hand  
  
"The Phoenix, a bird-like creature, had a lifespan of 500 years after which it was consumed by fire. Out of the ashes emerged a new Phoenix. This regeneration may be interpreted many ways. It symbolizes, at an individual level, a recurring life process--the Phoenix rising when there is a breakthrough of awareness. As old beliefs are released, life energy is liberated--a new individual appears. The Phoenix rising is the rebirth of mankind out of the past in peaceful revolution."  
  
Cho awoke violently again, the fourth time this week. As the beads of sweat swept down her porcelain face, she jerked her head up violently from her pillow. Those piercing green eyes burned into her mind like an evil scar. The once memories less dreams that once haunted her nights now had shadows. She couldn't remember everything; only bits and pieces, and what she did remember didn't make much sense.  
  
They weren't dreams in the normal fashion of the word; the things she remembered from her dreams had more depth than a normal dream. She remembered things like the smell of the air, the expression on the nameless faces, and the rich color of those green eyes.  
  
Her conversation with Hermione in the library also bothered her. Twice she had spoken of things she didn't even know she knew. Nobody had ever told her about Harry's Godfather Sirius Black, yet she remembered to the way his body twisted as the spell struck him the chest, she even remembered the expression of shock on his face. She remembered it like she had witnessed it with her own two eyes; she remembered it like she was there when it happened.  
  
Also, the way the phoenix pendant burned or froze against her chest was also puzzling. Just when she thought she was beginning to be able to predict when it would affect her, it surprised her.  
  
Cho slowly let her head fall back on her damp pillow. The blue beams of the moon were fading into the early morning sky. She rolled onto her right side and stared at the shadows drawn on the dormitory floor. She couldn't get the imaged of the green eyes out of her thoughts, when she closed her eyes she would see them, staring at her through the darkness of her eyelids.  
  
"I've got to figure out what's going on with me," Cho whispered to herself.  
  
She lay awake in the darkness of the morning, fearing if she let herself fall asleep her dreams would return. She didn't want to dream anymore, she just wanted her life back. She let out a soft sigh as she watched the birth of the new day.  
  
It was a beautiful fall Saturday when Cho finally allowed herself to get out of bed. The faint dark circles under her eyes told of her sleepless night. She got ready; taking extra care with her appearances, after all today was Hogmeade day.  
  
She didn't particularly want to go with Ravenclaw companions, but she felt she had no choice. Unless she had a date, she had always gone to Hogmeade with the same people.  
  
The Ravenclaw common room was mysterious; the deep shades of blue gave a calming appearance against the marble white walls. The furniture was also classic, dark mahogany carved to a perfect appearance with every piece. Also, there were the books. Thousands of books over every subject imaginable littered the proud bookshelves.  
  
Cho often felt out of place when she was in the common room. Although she prided herself on her Ravenclaw perfection, she thought she had to work harder for the appearance than her housemates. It seemed to come so naturally to them.  
  
Cho took a seat in front of the fireplace as she waited for her friends to meet up with her.  
  
"Hey Cho," said Michael Corner as he spotted her sitting alone.  
  
"Hello," Cho said quietly.  
  
Michael stared at her for a moment, obviously thinking over his next move, "well, are you ready to go?"  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, "go where?"  
  
He rolled his eyes, "to Hogmeade."  
  
"Oh, I didn't know you and I were going together," Cho confessed.  
  
Michael seemed to be losing his patients, "well, you are still my." he trailed off.  
  
"Girlfriend," Cho finished his statement.  
  
Michael nodded lightly, "I thought we could talk today."  
  
Cho made herself look at him, after all it was her fault that their relationship had been so rocky, "I think that is a good idea."  
  
Cho stood up but didn't take Michael's hand; she just walked next to him silently. When they arrived at the Great Hall to eat some breakfast Cho decided this shyness had gone on long enough.  
  
"So if we're going to talk, let's talk," she spat.  
  
"Why did you kiss Potter?" he said instantly.  
  
Cho's eyes widened, she didn't know what to say. Michael's eyes were burning a hole through her.  
  
Cho's finally spoke, "I don't know what to say. I honestly didn't mean to kiss Harry."  
  
"How can you not mean to kiss somebody?" Michael inquired.  
  
Cho bit her lip, "I didn't even realize I did it."  
  
Michael was about to leave by the look in his eyes, "Cho, this is ridiculous."  
  
"I know," she made a move to grab his hand.  
  
"Do you honestly expect me to believe you didn't mean to kiss him when the entire school saw you initiate it?" he demanded.  
  
Cho held her breath then spoke, "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear to you that I'm telling the truth," she pleaded.  
  
"I don't know Cho. I mean I really like you," Michael began.  
  
"I like you to," Cho said feeling slightly flushed.  
  
Michael let out an impatient sigh, obviously annoy by her interrupting him, "lets just go to Hogmeade today and see how things go today."  
  
Cho forced a smile and nodded.  
  
"That way I can let you know my decision by the end of the day," Michael added.  
  
"Your decision?" Cho thought to herself.  
  
After breakfast Michael and Cho walked together to get in line for their Hogmeade trip. Mr. Filch , the caretaker, was checking the list of student names to make sure nobody trying to seek into Hogmeade that wasn't spose to be there. Cho let her arms wander loosely at her side, tempting Michael to reach out and grab her hand. He didn't.  
  
"So what do you want to do today?" she asked quickly as they walked though the grounds.  
  
"I could use a butterbeer," Michael said casually.  
  
"How romantic," Cho muttered, but Michael either didn't hear her or didn't care.  
  
The Three Broom Sticks was extremely crowded when they arrived and a group of boys shot up there hands to motion Michael over to them. "Hey Cho, do you mind if I go say hi?" he asked, not even turning around to address her. Before Cho could say a thing he was making his way over to his friends.  
  
"He's a bit fat prat if you ask me," smirked Ginny Weasley from a nearby table.  
  
Cho smiled pleasantly as she order a butterbeer from the barkeep.  
  
"You can sit over here with us," Ginny continued noticing that Cho was quite alone now.  
  
Cho let the thoughts transpire in her mind for a moment then walked over to the table occupied by Ginny Weasley and a black boy she recognized as a Gryffindor and a former member of the defense club, DA, created last year.  
  
"How are you guys?" Cho asked politely taking a seat.  
  
"Michael use to ditch me to hang out with his friends all the time," Ginny assured her.  
  
Cho lowered her head, "it doesn't really matter."  
  
The boy sitting next to Ginny gave her a sympatric wink, "maybe you should try dating a Gryffindor. We're not quite so rude."  
  
"I beg to differ on that, no offense," Cho joked.  
  
"Dean, you remember, Cho and Harry um," Ginny let her eyes meet Cho trying to figure out a delicate way of saying it.  
  
"Dated?" Dean offered.  
  
Cho let her head pop over towards his direction, "half a date doesn't not qualify as dating."  
  
She felt the blood fill her cheeks and Ginny and Dean both started laughing.  
  
"Well, not to dredge up any bad memories, but didn't you kiss him the other day?" Dean inquired, obvious finding humor in Cho's embarrassment.  
  
Cho let out an exasperated sigh, "I don't spose there is any point in denying it."  
  
"Holy Merlin, so the rumors are true?" Dean said excitedly. Cho smile faded, "what rumors?"  
  
"You don't want to know," Ginny interrupted.  
  
"No, I do," Cho insisted.  
  
"The word around school is that your still in love with Harry, and that you practically threw yourself at him in the hallways in front of the library. But Harry rejected you and humiliated you ran off down the hallway," Dean informed her, despite the death look he was getting from Ginny.  
  
"What, that preposterous," Cho said coolly. "I'm not in love with Harry, and I didn't throw myself at him. Plus, I pulled back from that kiss, not him."  
  
Dean let out slight chuckle, but was quickly nudged in the ribs by Ginny.  
  
"Don't worry about it, you know who stupid the rumor spreaders are," Ginny encouraged.  
  
Cho took in a deep breath and let her eyes wander around the bar. Not long ago she was one of the most popular girls in school, now she was the third wheel on what appeared to her to be a date. As the thought of interrupting a date entered her mind she began to survey the room for her date, or whatever he was.  
  
She found him, sitting at a table across the bar with some of her fellow Ravenclaws. She use to feel welcome around the crowd he was conversing with, but for some reason didn't anymore. She sighed watching him talk happily with him buddies, and flirting with her dorm mates.  
  
"Well, I think I'm going to go wander a bit," Cho said sweetly turning back to Ginny and Dean who were engaging in a heavy flirting session.  
  
Cho didn't wait for them to respond before she left.  
  
The crisp autumn air felt good against Cho's bare face as she exited the bar. The happy groups of uniformed students wandering around happily talking about mindless topics seemed to cause a twinge of pain in Cho heart. She missed those carefree days, the days when she could daydream about Cedric, hang out with her friends and not worry about anything but what color lipstick she should wear.  
  
Her feet carried her away from the hassles and noises of the crowded streets. She wandered towards the hills in the background. She wasn't sure how long she had been walking, but an old house caught the corner of her eye and she found herself stopping to study it.  
  
"You know, they say it's haunted."  
  
The voice startled Cho, and she grabbed her chest as turned around to see was in her company.  
  
"It isn't really," Harry said lightly.  
  
"Then why do people say it is?" Cho questioned, since he seemed to know it all.  
  
Harry let a smile slip onto his face as if he knew a secret about the old house in front of them, but wasn't going to disclose any of the information.  
  
"So your talking to me again?' Harry asked.  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest, "I simply asked you question, since you seem to know so much about this place."  
  
"Yea, I do know a lot about this place," Harry said in a dazed voice, he seemed to be thinking about something.  
  
"You've been inside?" Cho said in a mixed question/statement tone.  
  
Harry looked at her a bit puzzled, but didn't answer.  
  
"Well, if you are just up here to tease me I'll be on my way," she said suddenly feeling angry.  
  
"I didn't come up here to tease you. I didn't even know you were up here," Harry said in an icy tone.  
  
"Then why are you up here then?" Cho asked still not convinced.  
  
"I have my reasons," Harry said flatly.  
  
Cho still felt a bit angry, but wasn't ready to leave yet. She had been having dreams about Harry since school started. She wanted to know if they had any bases or if they were just dreams.  
  
"Does it have something to do with your Godfather?' Cho asked wearingly.  
  
Harry let his shocked green eyes meet her dark brown ones for a moment before lowering his head to the ground.  
  
Cho wasn't sure how much Hermione had told him about their conversation, but from the look his face he didn't know Cho knew about Sirius.  
  
"I'm sorry," Cho offered.  
  
Harry let out a soft laugh, "for what?"  
  
"I know how it feels to lose somebody," she said, her head feel to her feet.  
  
Harry lifted his head and stared at her, "how do you know about that?"  
  
"Hermione told me," she lied. It was too embarrassing to tell him she had dreamed about it.  
  
"It's my fault he died," Harry said trying to hold back his tears.  
  
Cho shook her head, "no, you can't blame yourself. You didn't push him into the veil."  
  
"What?" Harry said now looking a little offended. "Did Hermione tell you about that too?"  
  
"No," Cho said suddenly.  
  
"Then how did you know about the veil?" Harry asked desperately.  
  
"I ." Cho trailed off, not quite sure how to explain it.  
  
"CHO!"  
  
Harry and Cho both snapped their heads toward the bottom the hill the house sat on. Michael Corner was running up the hill towards them.  
  
"Hey, why did you disappear like that?" Michael interrogated glaring at Harry as he spoke.  
  
"Well, you seemed to have forgotten about me, I didn't think you'd notice," Cho said coldly.  
  
"You could have come over there," Michael said hatefully.  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes, "maybe I didn't want to."  
  
"What did you decide to come up here to snog with Potter some more," he taunted. "Screw you Corner," Cho barked.  
  
Michael flared his arms into the air, "I don't know way I even bothered with you."  
  
"Well, let me help you with your decision," Cho spat throwing up her middle finger at him.  
  
Michael turned sharply on his heels and left muttering something about Cho being a crying git under his breath. Cho stood watching him with her fist clinched at her side. She turned away from him and realized that she had just gave Harry another climatic show. She felt her fingers go numb and her cheeks feel with blood from utter embarrassment.  
  
"I guess we're officially broken up now," Cho tried to joke, immediately regretting saying fearing they way Harry would take her statement.  
  
"Your tempers is as bad as mine," Harry tried to change the subject realizing how embarrassed Cho must be.  
  
"I'm really not a hateful." Cho started.  
  
Harry interrupted her, "you know Chang, your kinda cute when your mad."  
  
"Well, I've never heard that one before," she giggled.  
  
Harry now was turning a slight pink himself, it was the first time she had seen him blush this year and it made her stomach knot up.  
  
"Well, I better go find Ron and Hermione," Harry said suddenly noticing the tension building.  
  
"Yea, I need to get back to the Three Broom Sticks," Cho said not wanting to look like a loser with nobody to hang out with.  
  
"Yea, I'll see you around," Harry fumbled.  
  
Harry was halfway down the hill when she finally called after him, "HARRY."  
  
He stopped at turned around to see what she wanted.  
  
"I'M SORRY ABOUT THE OTHER DAY, KISS YOU AND SUCH," she shouted without thinking.  
  
"I'M NOT," he yelled back.  
  
Cho felt a warm sensation travel down her body at his response and she watched him until he disappeared into the crowds of Hogmeade. The small bird around her neck burned hot against her chest, but for some reason it didn't seem to bother her this time. 


	8. Self Discovery

Well, here is my next chapter..My husband is watching a stupid football game ( I like the sport I just hate watching it on TV) so I had some spare time.  
  
Okay my reviews..  
  
HermioneGreen: I like your idea about Cho talking to her head of house..I might be using that very soon (wink)  
  
NotSoUnforgiveableCurse: I'm an idiot...I don't know why I write deadeaters instead of deatheaters. It is just something I started in my first fan fiction and it has just followed me..maybe one day I'll get it right.  
  
Lovely_dragon: I don't think your stupid..and if your still reading then you know your guess was right..Cho did kiss Harry, again...  
  
Because I'm so far behind on these responses I'm going to end it there but I'd like to thank indigal,AngelOfDeathz, Pat, BlueTiger94, zacarias, reena, bogiekid23, Descendent ofVoldemort, and annamaria for reviewing..and I'd also like to thank everybody who is reading...Please sending me your kind reviews..And remember to keep reading.  
  
Remember nothing is my own...  
  
*********************************************  
  
Chapter eight: Self Discovery  
  
Cho yanked the silver chain from her neck, it was burning a hole into her chest and she was sick of it. She threw it into her jewelry box determined not to think about it anymore. She slammed her trunk shut and flung herself onto her bed.  
  
"Hey Cho, are you okay?" asked Marietta who was startled by Cho slamming.  
  
"I'm fine," Cho said happily feeling a burden of relief.  
  
She couldn't figure out why she hadn't done it earlier, like before she kissed Harry. It was such an obvious solution. The necklace was obviously the source of her strange behavior, so getting rid of the necklace should solve her problem.  
  
Cho rolled onto her back and let her head hang off the edge of her bed.  
  
"Marietta, do you think I've been acting weird lately?" Cho asked eagerly.  
  
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Marietta asked.  
  
Cho bit her lip and watch Marietta shift uncomfortably, "I guess I really haven't been myself this year."  
  
"Cho, you haven't been yourself since Cedric died," Marietta blurted out, immediately feeling bad for saying it.  
  
Cho held her breath and closed her eyes, "yes, I guess your right."  
  
She found her self staring at her friend Marietta's acne scars, if you looked close enough you could make out the word sneak on her forehead.  
  
"That was a brilliant idea," Cho thought to herself.  
  
Cho flipped backwards off her bed and left her dorm room. She was tired of Marietta's company.  
  
The hallways of Hogwarts seemed foreign to her these days, but for some reason without her necklace she didn't feel so out of place.  
  
"CHO!" the voice of Hermione Granger called from behind her.  
  
"Hello," Cho greeted.  
  
"I can't chat long, I've gotta get back to the library, but I found this book I thought you might find it interesting."  
  
Hermione took off down the corridor, obviously in a hurry. Cho looked down at the book and read the cover, "The Legend of the Phoenix."  
  
"I'm tired of this stupid Phoenix nonsense," Cho said to herself as she tossed the book into her backpack.  
  
She didn't pay attention to which bathroom she was walking into, seven years at Hogwarts had taught her not to enter that bathroom, but she wasn't thinking. Cho stopped at a mirror and fluffed her raven hair.  
  
"Well, well if it isn't Lynn Chang," said a ghostly cackle.  
  
"Excuse me?" Cho said spinning around to the glowing outline of Moaning Myrtle, the ghost that haunted this particular girls bathroom.  
  
Myrtle stared at her, "your not Lynn Chang."  
  
"No I'm not," Cho spat thinking about making a quick getaway.  
  
"Well, you might as well be her. She was always fluffing her hair," Myrtle said in her high-pitched voice.  
  
"She was my grandmother," Cho said suddenly, causing Myrtle to regain interest.  
  
"Really?" Myrtle asked excited. "If your Lynn's granddaughter where is your necklace, surely the guardian of the Phoenix has to have her pendant."  
  
"Guardian of the what?" Cho said almost in a laughing tone.  
  
Myrtle smiled sweetly, "surely your grandmother told you about your duties."  
  
"No she didn't," Cho said quickly. "Did she tell you?"  
  
"TELL ME?" Myrtle cried, "Why would a popular girl like Lynn Change ever tell poor moping moaning Myrtle a secret like that?"  
  
Myrtle let out a terrible wail and plummeted into her cubical. Cho quickly recognized her opportunity to escape and dashed out the door. She stared back at the door as she walked quickly down the corridor.  
  
"Strange," Cho muttered to herself.  
  
She wasn't sure where she was going to go, she definitely didn't want to go back to the Ravenclaw common room, and she didn't want to go to the library. She let her feet carry her, towards the front doors, onto the grounds and near the Quidditch pitch. Their first game of the season was nearing, and they definitely weren't prepared. Quidditch was just a sport to the Ravenclaws, and it was more important to study and do well in school than to win Quidditch matches. Perhaps that was the reason they hadn't won the Quidditch cup in several years.  
  
The thought of Quidditch made Cho's stomach nervous, she had been flying poorly the past few games she had played, and she was surprised she hadn't been kicked off the team. The cool fall air had not yet turned the grass yellow and the Quidditch pitch looked breathtaking. She saw the Gryffindor team circling around at one of their vigorous practices. They were always practicing.  
  
She slowly walked towards the pitch, the thought of taking refuge on the bleachers seemed like a good idea. Some fresh air would do her good. As she reached the bleacher and climbed to a comfortable seat the Gryffindor Quidditch team practice had ended, and she was alone once again. Cho didn't mind, she rather preferred being alone right now.  
  
She laid long ways on one of the bleacher and stretched out looking up towards the sky. As she glared at the bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds she felt her eyes getting heavy. She allowed them to fall as she entered the world of dreams.  
  
** She smiled as she looked around the crowed Quidditch stadium, the crowd was on their feet cheering for Cho's favorite team, the Tornadoes. She smiled as Cedric smiled sweetly at her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She felt so happy so safe.  
  
She slowly moved her eyes onto the field, but the Quidditch field was different, it was a maze of tall shrubs. She looked desperately around the tall hedges hoping to see through them. Then she saw that sight, Harry was sitting on the ground, his leg twisted unnaturally beneath him. He was screaming clinging onto a lifeless body. She watched as they pried the motionless form from Harry's arms.  
  
Cho gasped as the tears trickled down her face, it was Cedric. It couldn't be Cedric. Cho suddenly became aware of the pressure on her hand and looked back to her side. The ghostly face of Cedric stared back at her, his eyes were eggshell white and his skin was bluish gray.  
  
"Cho," he moaned. She tried to pull her hand out of his grasp, she wanted to get away but he wouldn't let go.  
  
"Let me go," she cried.  
  
She struggled desperately as Cedric's once handsome face became brittle before her. He moved unnaturally bellowing her name in a painful howl. Cho began to scream, desperate to escape the gruesome sight.  
  
Cedric skin peeled from his face and exposed his rotting flesh.  
  
"Please," Cho pleaded tugging painfully at her arm.  
  
She finally gave a violent yank and Cedric arm fell off his shoulder. Cho jumped to her feet and dashed to the bottom of the stadium, tears of fear blinding her as she ran. She stopped suddenly as a ghostly figure appeared before her speaking in a monotone voice that sent a cold pain down Cho's back.  
  
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him his equal, but he will have a power the Dark Lord knows not..and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.."  
  
Cho turned around wanting to run and she saw what was left of Cedric crawling down the stadium after her.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed. **  
  
"Cho, wake up," she heard as she felt a pair arms shaking her awake.  
  
The sun had faded into the horizon and the darkness of the evening had started to fall. Cho jumped up violently look around at the pitch, her breathing heavy and her appearance drenched in sweat.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Cho spun around to see who had wakened her, "yes, I just had a bad dream."  
  
"Obviously, I heard you screaming when I was in the changing room," said Harry eyeing her carefully.  
  
Cho tried to catch her breath, however embarrassed she's probably be when she collected herself and reminisced on the situation was unimportant now. Cho felt herself losing control and she began to sob uncontrollably.  
  
"It's okay, it was just a dream," Harry said wishing she'd stop crying.  
  
Cho tried to collect herself, "you don't understand it was terrible. I saw you and Cedric on the Quidditch pitch and he was dead, but he wasn't down on the field with you he was next to me holding my hand," Cho broke down again.  
  
Harry let out a frustrated sigh, obviously annoyed she was crying about Cedric again.  
  
"Cho, I don't mean to be insensitive, but you've gotta move on," Harry said wearily.  
  
"It isn't like that. He wouldn't let go of my hand and he literally rotted away before me. His skin fell off his face and I couldn't get away. Then I yanked my hand away and his arm fell off, he kept howling my name," Cho threw her head into Harry's near shoulder trying to regain control.  
  
Harry paused a moment before patting her back, hoping she'd gain control soon.  
  
"I'm sorry," Cho muttered, "I know you don't want to talk about Cedric."  
  
No matter how hard she tried she couldn't quit crying. Harry wrapped his arms around her and began to slowly rocking her back and forth; it seemed like the right thing to do. Finally Cho's sobs began to lighten.  
  
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies," Cho repeated to herself.  
  
"What did you say?" Harry jerked her head off his shoulder when he heard her word.  
  
"I don't know what it means, but I keep hearing it in my dreams," Cho said slightly shocked.  
  
"Did you just now dream about it?" Harry asked desperately.  
  
"Yes, I think so. It is all starting to fade a bit now," Cho confessed.  
  
Harry's skin looked pale and his powerful green eyes were haunted by fear. He sat there looking at her in disbelief, something just on the end of his tongue. Cho was to upset to ask what he was thinking, she was just thankful somebody was there to comfort her.  
  
"It's getting late, we better get back," Harry finally said. Cho shivered a bit as a cool breeze caught her the wrong way. Harry rose to his feet and offered Cho a hand up which she accepted. The two walked in silence back to the castle.  
  
"Well, I better get back to my house," Cho finally broke the silence.  
  
"Yea," Harry said not really paying attention to what she was saying.  
  
Cho lowered her eyes to the floor, "thank-you for staying with me out there."  
  
Harry forced a smile, "anytime."  
  
Cho tipped up on her toes and gave Harry a slight peck on his cheek and dashed off down the hall. Her mind was swimming with thoughts of her dream. She had never had such a vivid nightmare in all her life. The first thing she was going to do when she got back to her dorm was put back on her necklace, then she was going to read that book Hermione had given her. She had to figure out what was going on. 


	9. The Coldness that Doesn't End

Sorry I didn't get a chance to update yesterday...I've been really busy...This story is going to start to come together now..my story probably sucks, but I'm trying my best ( Well, thanks to all my reviewers and readers..you guys are great!!!  
  
READ AND REVIEW!!!  
  
And remember nothing is my own.  
  
Chapter nine: The Coldness that Doesn't End  
  
Cho rubbed her achy eyes as she flipped page after page. It wasn't an adventure novel or some spelling bounding piece of literature it was just a book. A rather boring thick book that Cho had purged herself in to. The fire in the Ravenclaw common room dwindled as a cool chill embraced the room.  
  
"Come on Cho just few more minutes," she urged herself.  
  
** The Phoenix is a magical creature of Arabic decent, but has been found in cultures across the world. The bird is said to have the body of an eagle but more dense. It has a soothing song that rests the mind. In 440 A.D. a cruel Chinese emperor capture the great bird and forced him to sing for his young daughter.  
  
It is said that the five notes of the Chinese scale are based off the Phoenix's soothing harmony. As the bird tamed the young daughter's wild heart, she set him free, much to her fathers distaste. From that moment on the young empress shared a bond that to this day remains a mystery. **  
  
"Gosh, could this be more boring," Cho muttered to herself.  
  
She flipped though a few pages looking for something to catch her attention.  
  
"This is pointless, there isn't anything of use in this stupid book," she said in frustration.  
  
As her fingers tickled the pages she found a point towards the end of the book as started reading again.  
  
** An unknown and forgotten myth surrounds the ancient legend of the phoenix. This myth was passed down oral for generations, but lost in translation before it was written. The only parts that aren't lost are found in an old manuscript, it detail a magical necklace with a pendent of a phoenix.  
  
The necklace is said to bare a special burden on its wearer, and burns hot or cold against the skin.  
  
The muggle explore Marco Polo..**  
  
"No," Cho cried flipping few pages, hoping to pick up where the book had left off.  
  
She slammed the book down on the coffee table in frustration.  
  
"Temper, temper," said a dreamy voice from behind her.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't wake you did I?" Cho asked nervously, thinking about how much noise she had been making this late hour.  
  
"Oh no, I just couldn't sleep," Luna Lovegood walked over to the opposite side the Ravenclaw common room and pulled out a book and started reading it upside down.  
  
Cho looked at her puzzled for a moment, "you know your have the book wrong side up?"  
  
Luna let a grin creep into her face, "wrong side up to you maybe, I prefer to read them this way."  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes as she examined Luna's face and decide she didn't want to continue this particular conversation.  
  
Cho was about to gather her things and head upstairs when Luna started talking again, "that's a pretty boring book you're reading there."  
  
"You've read it?" Cho asked a bit surprised.  
  
Luna lifted her eyes from her book and nodded, "I found it fascinating years ago."  
  
"Then why did you say it was boring?" Cho asked a bit confused.  
  
Luna let out an annoyed sigh, "just because something is boring doesn't mean it can't be fascinating."  
  
"Whatever," Cho said as she gathered the last of her things.  
  
"What did you think about the Guardian part?" Luna suddenly asked.  
  
"I must have missed that chapter," Cho said wishing Luna would just quit talking to her.  
  
Luna muttered what Cho thought was the word "pity" under her breath.  
  
"What is it a pity?" Cho asked a bit offended.  
  
Luna placed her book carefully on her lap, "you look like you're a person searching for something, and it is a pity that you've given up so easily."  
  
"I haven't given up," Cho defended.  
  
Luna picked her book back up and began reading again.  
  
Cho got a far as the dormitory steps before she spun around, curiosity eating at her, "what chapter was the Guardian thing in?"  
  
"I don't remember," Luna said suddenly.  
  
"Thanks for your help," Cho said coldly as she turned on her heels.  
  
"Although, chapter 27 was very interesting," Luna said.  
  
Cho reached her bed and felt the sensation of total exhaustion taking control. Her dream from earlier that day still was causing her anxiety about sleeping. She touched the phoenix that again hung from her neck as if it was a charm to protect her dreams.  
  
She pulled back the covers and let her feet slip into the cool sheets. She didn't realize how tired she was until her head hit her pillow and she fell into a deep slumber.  
  
*** "Try chapter 27," Cho heard the wind say as it blew though her raven hair.  
  
She looked over the edge of a wall that was built on a high cliff. The strange smell in the air filled her lungs and engulfed her. As she stared out over the crashing sea and watch the waves break against the rocks below.  
  
"Go, my father will be here soon," she heard herself say in a language that has long lost been forgotten. (Ancient Chinese)  
  
Her eyes found a magnificent bird a large as a golden eagle, with wings the color of blood and eyes as blue as the ocean.  
  
"Please, I set you free," she heard herself say again.  
  
The bird opened his beck slightly and the graceful notes lightened her heart. He flapped his great wings and blew a cool sensation into her face.  
  
Cho felt herself kneel next to the gentle creature, "you have taught me so much great one."  
  
The Phoenix lowered his head as dropped a few tears into her hand. As Cho opened her hand she saw a silver pendent in the shape of a small Phoenix.  
  
"Thank-you, I will wear it always," she whispered.  
  
The bird spread its great wings and ascended into the unknown sky. Cho rose to her feet and felt the gentle breeze blow her hair across her face as her tears raced down her cheeks.  
  
She lifted her arm and waved goodbye to her magical bird.  
  
Suddenly Cho felt cold and everything went suddenly dark.  
  
"Get the Emperor's daughter, bring her to me," she heard a harsh voice say close to her.  
  
She grabbed at the pendant now dangling from a silver chain around her neck.  
  
She looked over the now blackened sea. She heard the footsteps creeping closer, she had two choices be captured or jump. She didn't have to think, she just felt the ground give way beneath her.  
  
For some reason she wasn't afraid, and the cool air gave her an amazing sensation as plummeted to the sea below.  
  
The morning sun warmed her shivering body, as it lay exposed on the sandy beach. She cracked her eyes and saw a young girl standing above her. The young child took off her morning coat, rolled it up and placed it under Cho's head.  
  
Cho knew death was approaching, and as the light grew brighter in the distance Cho took what strength she had left and tugged at her necklace. She grabbed the young child's hand and enclosed it around the small pendant.  
  
"This is a burden and gift, wear it and it will show you the way," Cho heard herself say.  
  
"You see child, your not the first," Cho heard a familiar voice say in the distance. The light grew brighter and suddenly the beach and the young girl was gone.  
  
"Cho."  
  
Cho re-opened her eyes and saw Cedric standing before, golden rays shining from behind him.  
  
"Cedric," she cried in a whisper.  
  
"You have to go back, you have to wake up now," he urged.  
  
Cho felt warms tears falling, "I miss you."  
  
"The world isn't done with you yet," Cedric said staring deep into her eyes.  
  
"I want to stay with you," Cho begged.  
  
Cedric smiled, "there is someone waiting for you, he needs you."  
  
Cho bit her bottom lip as she watched Cedric start to fade, "I love you."  
  
"We'll be together again, just not now," Cedric said calmly.  
  
"Go on Cho, wake up."  
  
***  
  
"Cho!" Marietta yelled over her.  
  
Cho opened her tear filled eyes and gasped for breath.  
  
"You weren't breathing, I thought you were dead," Marietta cried.  
  
Cho couldn't speak; she was in complete shock over what had just happened.  
  
"I'm okay," Cho finally mustered still gasping for air like it was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted.  
  
Marietta pulled Cho into a tight hug, "I want you to go to Madame Pomfrey right now, something isn't right with you."  
  
Cho wanted to argue, but didn't have the strength. Her dream had now faded, and she could only recall images.  
  
Marietta pulled on her night robe, "I'm going to get Madame Pomfrey, don't stop breathing again while I'm gone."  
  
Cho nodded and laid her head back on her pillow. She bit her lip trying to remember her dream, but it was all fuzzy now. These dreams were driving her mad.  
  
"Try chapter 27," said a little voice in the back of her head. Cho flung herself off her bed and yanked her book out of her bag.  
  
** The Guardian of the Phoenix was the empress of the great Chinese dynasty. She set the bird free on a high cliff overlooking the sea and the bird rewarded her sacrifice with a silver tear. She used this tear to spread the power of the Phoenix to her people, but this goodness angered many religious priests in her kingdom.  
  
One dark night, the priest stormed the great castle, as the empress grasped her tiny sliver tear and jumped off the wall freeing herself as she once freed the Phoenix. **  
  
Cho looked up from the book, shock sinking into her body. Everything was starting to come together.  
  
"Where is your necklace, surely the guardian of the Phoenix has to have her pendant."  
  
She heard Madame Pomfrey muttering something about students drinking bad potions heading up the stairs with Marietta. Cho had only one thing on her mind, she needed to talk to Moaning Myrtle again. 


	10. So We're Friends

I'm feeling a bit of writers block on this story, but I'm pushing though it. Thank-you for all the kind words and reviews...  
  
I will personalize some more responses this weekend..it will probably be a couple of days before I can update, so enjoy..Read and Review!!  
  
Nothing is my Own!  
  
***************************************************  
  
Chapter ten: So We're Friends  
  
The hospital ward was cold and lonely as Cho stared out the window as the blowing fall leaves. She had been coped up for over a week. She had missed the first Quidditch match of the season with Gryffindor against Slytherin, and by the looks of it she was going to miss Halloween too.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Cho thought bitterly to herself.  
  
"Mrs. Chang?" she heard the kind voice of Professor Flitwick, her head of house.  
  
"Hello Professor," Cho said politely.  
  
The short man gave her a pleasant smile, "are you feeling any better?"  
  
"Yes, thank-you," Cho continued.  
  
He sat a heavy stack of books down next to her bed and turned to leave. "You'll need to have this work done by tomorrow," he reminded her.  
  
"Yes Professor," Cho smiled.  
  
The heavy stacks of homework were the only things keeping her sane these days.  
  
"Professor can I ask you a question?" Cho said carefully.  
  
"Yes, Miss Chang, anything I can do to help," Professor Flitwick said happily.  
  
Cho bit her bottom lip and thought about how she wanted to phrase her question, "have you ever heard about the Guardian of the Phoenix?"  
  
"Well let me see here, I was never very fond of magical history, maybe you should ask Professor Binns," Professor Flitwick offered.  
  
"Thanks professor, I'll do that," Cho replied.  
  
"Surely someone knew something about this stupid mystery, and I'm sure not getting anything accomplished by sitting in this stupid hospital wing," Cho snickered to herself as she watched her head of house disappear from sight.  
  
She wasn't sure how much time had passed, she just watched the leaves glide gently though the air, and she closed her eyes and imagined riding her broom.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Harry, what are you doing here?" Cho asked shocked to see him.  
  
Harry lowered his eyes, "well, Luna told me about what happened and I thought I might see how you were feeling."  
  
"I'm feeling fine, just Madame Pomfrey won't let me leave until she can figure out what happened to me when I stopped breathing, I don't see what the big deal is," Cho said bitterly.  
  
"Well, Marietta seemed to think it was a big deal," Harry said informatively.  
  
Cho let out a sarcastic chuckle, "yea, she's really concerned, I haven't even seen her since I've been in this stupid ward."  
  
"You seem rather bitter Cho," Harry said bluntly.  
  
Cho felt her cheeks grow red, "I'm sorry, you'd be bitter to if you were locked up."  
  
Harry gave her an understanding smile and pulled up a chair to her bed to her surprise.  
  
"Could you use some company? It might cheer you up a bit," Harry said politely.  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes, "you know, you don't have to be nice me."  
  
Harry looked at her a bit confused but didn't answer.  
  
"We beat Slytherin, 200 to 20," Harry said trying to change the subject.  
  
"Well, don't be to confidant, you haven't won the Quidditch cup yet Potter," she said quickly in response.  
  
Harry looked at her with an evil grin, "but I haven't lost the Quidditch cup yet either."  
  
The awkward silence that followed left Cho feeling a bit flustered.  
  
"Are we blushing Miss Chang?" Harry badgered noticing Cho's new color.  
  
"No," she said suddenly. Then it happened again, a burst of heat erupted from her necklace and she let out a wail of pain.  
  
"CHO!" Harry shrieked. It felt like the entire room had busted into a ball of flames and they were consuming her, burning her alive.  
  
"MAKE IT STOP!" Cho screamed.  
  
Harry tried to comfort her and then yelled, "MADAME POMFREY!"  
  
Cho slowly felt the flames diminish, and her body began to cool a bit. Sweat was poring from her body and she drew in long heavy breaths.  
  
"I'm fine," she gasped, staring assumingly at Harry.  
  
"What in the Bloody Hell happened?" Harry asked, but Cho didn't have time to respond.  
  
"Goodness, out Potter, Miss Chang is not in the condition to entertain visitors," Madame Pomfrey spat trying to shove Harry out the door.  
  
"No, I'm fine! He can stay," Cho demanded.  
  
Madame Pomfrey let out a sigh of annoyance, "for a while, but make it short."  
  
The nurse stormed out of the ward muttering things about careless students.  
  
Harry slowly made his way back to Cho, eyeing her wearily, "what happened?"  
  
Cho bit her lip and shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine."  
  
"Something has been weird about you this year Cho, and a lot of people are talking."  
  
Cho looked dangerously at Harry, "what are they saying?"  
  
Harry lowered his head, "they think you've gone nuts, and I'm beginning to wonder myself."  
  
"So now I'm a crazy whiner," Cho said coldly.  
  
"I didn't say that," Harry defended. "I'm saying this as a friend, you've got to tell someone what's wrong."  
  
"As a friend?" Cho questioned.  
  
Harry forced a smile, "well, I thought we were friends."  
  
"We are," Cho said quickly. "Oh Harry, I'm so scared. It stared last year, I kept having these weird dreams, but only I couldn't remember them. Then my necklace started acting funny. It kept changing temperature and causing me to change temperatures with it. That what just happened, it started burning me that why I screamed."  
  
"It started burning you?" Harry asked confused.  
  
"I know it sounds crazy. The night I quit breathing I had this dream. I was somebody else, almost like it I was living another life. The strange thing is when I woke up I had dreamt this," Cho shoved the book Hermione had given her under his nose opened to chapter 27.  
  
Harry scanned the pages still not giving any response, "I've dreamt about things I've read before."  
  
"No Harry, you don't understand. I hadn't read the chapter before I went to sleep," Cho explained.  
  
"So you think you died in your sleep, you jumped off a cliff?" Harry questioned.  
  
Cho considered not telling him about the next part but elected to, "I saw Cedric, and he told me to wake up. That is when I say Marietta standing over me telling me I hadn't been breathing."  
  
Harry shook his head, "I think you need to talk to Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"No," Cho said quickly, "he'll think I'm mad."  
  
"No he won't," Harry defended.  
  
"Please, promise me that you won't say anything to him," Cho begged.  
  
Harry held up his hands, "I promise I won't tell him, but I think he could help."  
  
Cho feel back down feeling a little bit of her tension fade, "do you think I'm crazy?"  
  
Harry smiled and touched her hand, if she didn't know better she would have swore he was shaking a bit, "I think your brilliant."  
  
"Brilliant?" Cho laughed.  
  
Harry shook his head, and cheeks turned slightly pink, "I'm just worried about you."  
  
"That means a lot to me Harry," Cho smiled and turned her hand over and gave his a squeeze.  
  
Harry took a big gulp and turned his eyes away from hers, "I heard you talked to Moaning Myrtle."  
  
"How did you know that?" Cho asked surprised.  
  
Harry grinned, "me and Myrtle have a history."  
  
Cho suddenly had an image of a large chamber and an enormous serpent flash before her eyes.  
  
"Cho are you okay?" Harry asked noticing her flinch.  
  
"Yes, you know Moaning Myrtle?" Cho asked suddenly.  
  
Harry nodded watching her carefully.  
  
"Can you do me a huge favor, as a friend?" she asked desperately.  
  
"I guess," Harry said nervously.  
  
Cho bit her lip nervously, "she said something about a Guardian of the Phoenix, and I was wondering if you could ask her about it?"  
  
"I guess," Harry agreed, "but why don't you just ask her?"  
  
Cho blushed, "I don't think she likes me very much."  
  
Harry smiled now returning her gentle hand squeeze; "I'll go talk to her as soon as I leave."  
  
Cho flung her arms around Harry's neck and gave him quick kiss on the cheek, "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" Harry asked turning as deep red as Cho was.  
  
"Nothing," she said shyly.  
  
Harry stood up and released her hand, "you take care, and I'll stop by and tell you what Myrtle said tomorrow."  
  
"Thank-you Harry, for everything," Cho said sweetly.  
  
Harry turned and left as Cho watched him disappear from her sight. She felt that scalding sensation throbbing against her chest, but for some reason this time it didn't bother her all that much. 


	11. Not Alone

Here is another chapter, Sorry it has been a few days since I've updated. I'm currently working on more than one fanfic, and there are only so many hours in a day. It takes me about an hour to produce one chapter, and I just don't have that much time..  
  
If your wondering what I do with my day, I'm a writer/designer for a national syndicated magazine, so there might be a period of time when I don't feeling like writing and updating because I'm just tired of being in front of a computer all day long..anyways..  
  
Luna Lovegood is a Ravenclaw..if you read the chapter in OotP where she is introduced it clearly says, she is a Ravenclaw in Ginny's year... You had me wondering if I misread it myself...She seems like she'd fit better into Hufflepuff though..  
  
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews...you guys offer so much inspiration.  
  
Read and Review  
  
Nothing in my own.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Chapter eleven: Not Alone  
  
"Miss Chang, Professor Dumbledore has arranged your release, against my wished," Madame Pomfrey spat.  
  
Those were the sweetest words Cho had ever heard, she was going back to her normal life, away from this dreaded hospital wing. She didn't remember who was the first person she saw, what the first thing she did when she got back to her common room. The thing she did remember was the snickers, the whispers behind her back. People were talking, and it wasn't about how wonderful Cho was.  
  
Nobody seemed to have noticed her disappearance or if they did they didn't seem to care. She heard Michael Corner whispering something about his psychotic X. She just gave him a terrible glare. She felt so lonely; she was once under the allusion that she was well liked, popular. Now she realized she wasn't well liked, she didn't have tons of friends who were concerned about her; she was nobody.  
  
"Shit," Cho swore remembering that Harry was suppose to visit her in the hospital today and tell her about his talk with Moaning Myrtle.  
  
She'd fine him later; right now she had some reading to do. She propped open her magical history book; she was going to figure this out even if she had to read every book the library to do it.  
  
A week passed quickly, and with her studies and her extracurricular research she had barely been seen out of her dormitory. She seemed to read, sleep and eat in that order of importance.  
  
"Cho are you going to read away your life?" Marietta spat as she walked in on her.  
  
Cho didn't respond, she just kept her nose right where it was.  
  
Marietta placed her hands on her hips, "we use to be best friends!"  
  
"We were never best friends," Cho spat as a hiccup escaped her lips.  
  
"How can you say that?" Marietta said taken back.  
  
"If you were so worried about our friendship why did you turn the DA in last year? You knew I was at that meeting and if I was caught that I'd be expelled from school," Cho said coldly.  
  
Marietta looked shocked, "I know I shouldn't have told, but I didn't trust that Potter, I still don't."  
  
"He's not the monster you make him out to be," Cho defended.  
  
"Oh, that's right the famous Harry Potter, the love of Cho life. Everyone knows the only reason you had a thing for Harry was because you were bitten by the fame bug," Marietta said angrily.  
  
Cho held her breath, grasping what Marietta had just said, "what?"  
  
"Stop playing, you can do better than Potter," Marietta added.  
  
Cho now had her fist clinched, "I didn't like Cedric because he was famous, and I don't like Harry because he's famous!"  
  
"LIKE!" Marietta shrilled.  
  
Cho hiccupped again, "I mean liked."  
  
"No you didn't, you still like him," she accused.  
  
"So what if I do, what do you care!" Cho hissed as she stormed out of the dormitory.  
  
She flared down the girls dormitory steps and plopped herself in front of the fire.  
  
"Well, well if it isn't Cho," Michael jeered as he spotted her.  
  
"Put a cork in it Corner," she spat.  
  
Michael smile grew wide, "I guess with all the hiding you've been doing you haven't heard the news."  
  
Padma who was sitting next to him bit her lip and grabbed his arm, "don't Michael."  
  
"What, you're the one who told me," he defended.  
  
Cho was still fuming over what happened upstairs, "told you what?"  
  
"Your precious Potter is going out with somebody, and from what I hear it isn't you dear," Michael sneered.  
  
Cho felt her stomach drop out and she fought her tears back.  
  
"So who's he dating, not that I care," she said casually.  
  
Padma spoke up this time, "my sister, Pavarti."  
  
Cho nodded her head, "good for her."  
  
She quickly found her feet and left the Ravenclaw common room, she hated this place, this school.  
  
"Big deal," she said to herself, "I have more important things on my mind then stupid Harry Potter."  
  
She walked straight to the library, more determined than ever.  
  
The library was quite this evening, and if finally occurred to Cho why, it was Halloween. She thought about Harry holding Pavarti's hand as they laughed together at the feast. Tears trickled down her soft cheeks, but she didn't care.  
  
"I guess I'll have to talk to Myrtle myself now," Cho said to herself.  
  
She pulled out a few books on Magical History and found a deserted table in the library.  
  
Cho fondled her pendant as she read though each page. It felt cool in her hands.  
  
"I've been looking for you," Harry said as he appeared at the table next to her.  
  
"Hello," Cho said flatly.  
  
"Don't let him see you upset," she thought to herself.  
  
Harry took a seat next to her, "I talked to Myrtle."  
  
Cho lifted her head from her book, "what did she say?"  
  
"I'm not really sure, it didn't make much sense," Harry said in deep thought.  
  
Cho tried to push him with a look.  
  
"Something about a Lynn Chang being a Guardian of the Phoenix," Harry continued.  
  
"And?" Cho urged.  
  
"That's it really, she just heard her talking to herself one day in the bathroom she was hiding in, I'm sorry Cho," Harry said sensing her disappointed.  
  
Cho lowered her head and bit her lip, "it's okay, thanks anyways."  
  
She turned her head back to her book and proceeded to ignore him.  
  
Harry watched for a brief moment, "is something the matter?"  
  
"No," Cho said instantly not looking up from her book.  
  
Harry tried to peer over at what she was reading, "what are you reading that's so interesting?"  
  
Cho sighed, "Colonial American Magical History."  
  
"Yikes, sounds captivating," Harry snickered.  
  
Cho lifted her eyes to meet Harry's, "are you always this annoying?"  
  
"Usually," he confessed with a smile.  
  
Cho shook her head and as she did her quill feel to the floor. She leaned down to pick it up and bumped heads with Harry who had the same idea.  
  
"Ouch," she said as her eyes locked with Harry's again.  
  
They sat there staring at each other, faces literally inches apart. She could feel Harry's warm breath on her cheeks, she couldn't breath, she couldn't think. She kept her eyes wide as his face inched closer to hers.  
  
"Congratulations, I heard about you and Pavarti," she said suddenly breaking away from the intense moment and sitting up, quill in hand.  
  
"Huh?" Harry asked shocked, he rose a moment after she did.  
  
Cho lowered her pink face, "Michael and Padma told me about you two."  
  
Harry gave a light chuckle, "I'm not going out with Pavarti, I'm helping her with private quidditch lesson."  
  
Cho hiccupped trying to hold back a few escaped tears, "what happened to your hand?"  
  
Harry had a deep gash on his right hand and he glanced down at it, "nothing, just a quidditch accident, it'll be fine."  
  
Cho bit her lip and examined his hand. Those few escaped tears feel onto his bare skin.  
  
She gasped as she saw what happened, the wound healed. Harry had only seen this happen before, when Fawkes would heal him after his encounters with Voldemort.  
  
Cho released his hand and placed her hands over her mouth.  
  
"Did you see that?" Harry asked amazed.  
  
Cho was began to cry, "I'm a freak, what the hell is wrong with me."  
  
Harry stared at her, "your not a freak, how can you say that. What you just did, it's amazing."  
  
"Amazing? It isn't amazing, it's not normal," Cho wailed.  
  
"I've already lost all my friends, imagine what everyone will say if this gets out?" she asked as the tears poured from her eyes.  
  
She stood up and quickly started gathering her books she had to get away.  
  
"Please don't leave," Harry begged.  
  
Cho stopped crying, "you don't want me to go?"  
  
"I think we should go talk to Professor Dumbledore," Harry suggested.  
  
"He'll think," Cho stared.  
  
"Your brilliant," Harry finished.  
  
"I know how you're feeling, you feel alone right now. Lets just say I can relate to your situation and if it wasn't for Professor Dumbledore I don't know if I could get though it."  
  
Cho hiccupped loudly, "I guess your right, I do need to talk to someone."  
  
She looked up and felt Harry's warm eyes pouring into her, examining her soul. She held her breath as she saw him drawing nearer to her, again she was feeling his warm breath on her skin. She wanted to feel him, she wanted to be close to him.  
  
"Excuse me," said a Hufflepuff first year as she stumbled across them and ran quickly ran off.  
  
Harry and Cho pulled back quickly and turned scarlet.  
  
"Come one," Harry urged grabbing Cho hand.  
  
Cho hiccupped again, "are you sure Professor Dumbeldore will understand?"  
  
"I'm positive, " Harry assured her. 


	12. Something In Common

Please bare with me, I'm going though a terrible case of writer's block with this story. I'm sorry I haven't published in almost four days, but I just can't get what I'm thinking out. I'm not very good at romance, so this is a new area for me, and I'm afraid that my story is to corny...Thank-you to everyone who has reviewed, if it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't have found the inspiration to write this new chapter, although it isn't very good.  
  
Read and Review  
  
Nothing is my Own  
  
***************************************************  
  
Chapter twelve: Something in common  
  
Cho felt her heart skip lightly in her chest as Harry inner twined his fingers in hers. She didn't care where she was going as long as it was with him. He wasn't the most handsome boy she had ever seen, but there was just something about him. She walked briskly as he tugged on her hand and she kept slowing her pace, hoping he'd turn around so she could see into those amazing eyes.  
  
"I don't know the password," Harry said suddenly stopping in front of a marble statue.  
  
"Sorry?" Cho replied, still in a world of daydreams.  
  
"This is Dumbledore's office, but I don't know the password," he clarified.  
  
Cho felt blood rush into her cheeks as he finally looked at her.  
  
"Well, what now?" she finally stuttered.  
  
Harry glanced down at her hand in his, and it was clear on his face he was debating whether or not he should release it. Cho stared at him and pulled his hand into her chest and smiled.  
  
"I like holding your hand Harry."  
  
Harry face turned pink as he lowered his head towards the ground and smiled.  
  
"I can't believe it! Scarhead?" spat a cold voice approaching behind Cho.  
  
Harry went rigid as he saw Malfoy approaching.  
  
"Get lost Malfoy," Harry warned tightening his grip on Cho's hand.  
  
"Tisk, tisk, what will mummy and daddy say Chang?" Draco asked in a venomous voice.  
  
Cho bit her lip trying to will herself to be strong, but the pendant around her neck burned cold against her chest. Harry glanced over at her as her fingers turned to ice in his grip.  
  
"My family isn't like yours," Cho managed to cry.  
  
Harry placed his arms around her shoulders trying to ease her shaking.  
  
"I guess your girlfriend never told you about her insane pureblood family, did she Potter?" Draco badgered.  
  
"I don't care about her family Malfoy, as long as it isn't your insane family line," Harry said coldly in response.  
  
This response brought a curl to Malfoy's lip, "ask her whom her parents want her to marry when she's finished with Hogwarts?"  
  
Cho tried to respond but couldn't she was so cold, she literally thought her tears were freezing as they slid down her cheeks.  
  
Draco Malfoy lowered himself into a delicate bow and seized Cho's free hand. Had Harry not been holding Cho up he would have tackled Malfoy right there on the spot.  
  
"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Harry screamed feeling Cho go limp in his arms.  
  
"Another time love," Malfoy sneered as he kissed Cho's hand. He laughed as he disappeared into the hallway.  
  
"Harry," Cho whispered though her chattering teeth, "I'm so cold."  
  
Harry ran his hands quickly around her shoulder, "it's going to be okay, I promise."  
  
She let her head fall lazily into his chest and she closed her eyes, she had never been this close to him before. His hand-me-down sweater scratched her delicate face, but she didn't flinch. His warmth felt so good. When she re-opened her eyes she saw his concerned face inches away from hers.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said softly, but he didn't say a word.  
  
She saw his face approaching hers, she could feel his nose touching the tip of hers. She wanted to close her eyes, to get lost in this moment, but she couldn't tear herself away from those brilliant green eyes.  
  
"Harry, everything all right," asked the voice of the headmaster who had appeared at the entrance of his office.  
  
The two teens straighter up a bit embarrassed to be caught in such a personal moment.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore sir, could we talk to you in private?" Harry asked trying to act like nothing was out of the ordinary.  
  
"Oh course, I've actually been expecting you to come to me for quite sometime now."  
  
They followed their headmaster up the spiraling stairwell and into the magnificent circular office.  
  
"Miss. Chang, I believe I know of someone you should be introduced to," Dumbledore smiled with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
He motioned over towards Fawkes who stretched his wings a let out one of his sweet notes, "this is Fawks, the Phoenix of our time."  
  
Cho stared with her mouth half open as she stared at the magnificent bird, "he's beautiful," she replied breathless.  
  
"A quality he shares with is guardian," Dumbledore smiled. "He's been expecting you for quite awhile now."  
  
"I don't understand?" Cho asked confused.  
  
Dumbledore stroked Fawks soft feathers, "you see your grandmother left Fawks in my care until you were ready to fulfill your duties."  
  
Cho took a deep breath, and Harry gave her an understanding look.  
  
"Oh course, he's not pet. He is quite a free spirit and roams at his own leisure. I merely offer him a place to rest from his long journeys."  
  
"Sir, what do you mean guardian?" Cho asked hoping to finally get some answers.  
  
"I wish I could answer that Miss. Chang, but your destiny is something you must figure out on your own. I can only offer guidance," Dumbledore said with a bit of regret.  
  
Harry finally spoke, "but sir, Cho has been having very strange dreams. She knows things she can't explain and she shouldn't know. Her necklace affects her physically, it causes her to have violent reactions."  
  
"All of that is part of the transition, the necklace I imagine is showing her the way. It is showing her all the good she is capable of doing," Dumbledore tried to explain.  
  
"Why does it make me go so cold or warm?" Cho asked as she glanced at Harry, touched by how concerned he seemed.  
  
Dumbledore smiled as he saw the two exchange smiles, "the guardian must be a perfect judge of character. Your necklace is giving out warning signals; I imagine they will get more controllable with time and practice. Maybe Harry can help you sort though your burdens?"  
  
Harry's head seemed to fall at Dumbledore suggestion, "I can't do that sir, you know what I have to do. What my destiny is."  
  
"Harry, destiny is not written in stone. It is merely a blueprint that has yet to be built. I assure you," Dumbledore said.  
  
Cho watched Harry carefully as he took in Dumbledore's word, "what must you do Harry?"  
  
"It is ironic you ask such a question Miss Chang. I believe you and Mr. Potter has much in common, and have went though very similar situations, emotionally," Dumbledore answered. " I hope you will learn to confide in one another, I think it could help both of you on your paths."  
  
Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair signaling the meeting was drawing to a close, "I think it is getting late, and your houses will be wondering where you are."  
  
Harry and Cho rose in unison. Harry placed his hand in the small of Cho back and guided her out of Dumbledore's office, "goodnight professor."  
  
Cho nodded and waved sweetly as the two descended the winding stairwell.  
  
"Well, do you feel any better about what you're going though?" Harry asked.  
  
Cho shrugged, "a little, I wish he would have told me more."  
  
"He has his reason for being so vague, believe me sometimes the entire truth can be tough to digest," Harry said as his face cringed at the thought.  
  
"You know Harry, if you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener," Cho offered.  
  
Harry returned her smile, "I'll try to remember that."  
  
He watched her hand swinging teasingly at her side, "do you want me to walk you back to your common room?"  
  
"No," she said instantly thinking about the taunts she'd get from her fellow Ravenclaws if they saw her walking with him.  
  
Harry seemed a bit taken back at Cho's suddenness.  
  
Cho noticed his behavior and quickly tried to rectify the situation, "it's just getting late and I don't want you getting into trouble."  
  
"Ah, I don't care about getting into trouble," Harry said boastfully.  
  
He finally made a reach for her hand as they stopped outside of Dumbeldor's office.  
  
"Goodnight Harry," Cho said sweetly, willing herself not to look at his eyes.  
  
She pulled her hand loose from his grip and turned to leave.  
  
"When can I see you again?" Harry asked trying to get her to stay a moment longer.  
  
Cho laughed lightly, "tomorrow?"  
  
"Same time in the library?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, I'll meet you at dinner," Cho said quickly, knowing if she stayed one more second she wouldn't leave. 


	13. Evil Stalks Me

Sorry for the delay in my publishing (ducks from the flying tomatoes.) I sincerely wanted to write more on this story sooner, but I have really hit a snag. This chapter is completely off the path of my outline..but I've decided to scratch my outline and create a new ending...anyways..Please keep reading and reviewing..and I promise I'll try to update soon on the next chapter...  
  
Read and Review.  
  
Nothing is my own  
  
********************************************************  
  
Chapter thirteen: Evil Stalks Me  
  
Cho flipped open her book as she waited for her study date to arrive. A smile crept onto her face as she envisioned his deep green eyes. They had meet almost everyday, with the exception of Quidditch practice days, the past few weeks, and Cho found herself growing fond of him again.  
  
She glanced down at her enchanted watched and let out a sigh, "I wonder what's keeping him?" she muttered quietly.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" said a familiar voice she wasn't particular glad to hear.  
  
Cho rolled her eyes, adamant about not looking at her company, "actually it is."  
  
"You know the whole house is talking. I mean why Potter of all people?" he continued.  
  
"I honestly don't care what you and the rest of the house thinks," she spat.  
  
He made a reach for her arm, "Cho, you used to care about your house. I mean if we lose this upcoming game against Gryffindor people are going to blame you."  
  
Cho snatched her arm away from his grip, "I would never betray my house or my team, you know that Michael."  
  
He rose from his seat, "this is your last year here at Hogwarts. I just don't want to see you do something you'll regret."  
  
Cho bit her lip and lifted he eyes towards her former boyfriend, "I think I can manage for myself, thanks for your concern."  
  
"Fine, but just so you know, we're voting at the next team meeting whether or not to keep you on the team," he informed her.  
  
Cho eyes grew wide with surprise, but Michael Corner left before she could ask him anything further. She didn't even notice the person she had been waiting for approaching from behind her.  
  
"What were you two discussing?" Harry asked watching in puzzlement.  
  
"Fiddle sticks," Cho said sharply, "he's just trying to scare me."  
  
"Huh?" Harry asked confused.  
  
Cho let out a loud huff, "he told me that the team is voting whether or not to keep me on. They think I'm leaking information to you about Quidditch."  
  
Harry tried not to laugh, "if they only knew."  
  
Cho glared at him, "what is that suppose to mean?"  
  
"Nothing, did you find anything?" Harry asked peering over her shoulder.  
  
Cho shook her head, "absolutely zip about early English magical executions or procedures used during such things. Are you sure your remembering the room correctly?"  
  
"Positive," Harry said firmly, "I don't understand why nobody will tell me what really happened, why is it such a secret?"  
  
Harry and Cho had taken the philosophy that two heads were better than one. She had a mystery to figure out and so did he, and together they could cover twice as much.  
  
"Sometimes, I think they just want us to figure things out for ourselves," Cho said sweetly.  
  
Harry shook his head, "no there was something about the way it happened." He stopped short feeling his eyes well up at the mere memory.  
  
He didn't like to talk about Sirius's death, and Cho knew very little about it. All she knew was he fell though some type of a veil in what appeared to be a public execution area. She understood the amount of pain Harry must be going though so she was delicate about they way she pushed him for information.  
  
"Look I did find something on former dark lords of the past," Cho said eagerly. "Did you know Slytherin himself once shrunk 50 muggles' heads!"  
  
Harry crunched his face, "why?"  
  
"Harry how am I suppose to know the answer to that?" Cho glared at him. "Anyways, start reading, we need to finish the G's before tomorrow."  
  
"Your worse than Hermione," Harry joked.  
  
Cho smile faded, "that isn't very nice Harry."  
  
"It was a joke," Harry informed her.  
  
She rolled her eyes, "not a very funny one."  
  
Harry picked up a book and started scanning the pages.  
  
"Harry, don't your friends wonder why your spending so much time with me instead of them?"  
  
He shrugged, "they seemed a bit preoccupied here lately."  
  
"What do you mean preoccupied?" Cho asked gingerly.  
  
Harry set his book back on the table, "I don't know, their just acting weird, plus I don't really feel comfortable talking to them about everything that is going on. I just don't think they'd understand."  
  
"What is going on, you've never really explained it to me?" Cho asked hopefully.  
  
Harry shook his head, "you don't need to worry about it."  
  
Cho watched him skeptically, "it's has something to do about the seventh month dying, doesn't it?"  
  
His eyes grew wide with apprehension, "I can't tell you. Please don't ask me about it."  
  
"It is killing you to keep it inside. If I weren't meant to know then I wouldn't be dreaming about it. I still hear it, that monotone voice telling the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord will be born when the seventh month dies. I know you were born on July 31st Harry."  
  
Harry went pale as he stared at her in disbelief, "how did you figure that out?"  
  
"I'm a Ravenclaw. Logic is my specialty," she grinned.  
  
Harry tried to force a smile, "I've never told anyone about this not even Ron and Hermione. The only other person in the world that knows about it is Dumbledore."  
  
She placed a warm hand on his arm, "you can trust me. I swear I won't think you mad."  
  
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, " that voice your hearing, does it sound familiar, like you've heard it before?"  
  
"Maybe, it's hard to tell exactly," Cho confessed.  
  
"A prophecy was made before I was born. That is what you keep hearing in your dream. It's."  
  
"Professor Trelawney," Cho interrupted.  
  
Harry nodded, "that is why Voldemort lured me to the Department of Mysteries last year, he wanted to know the prophecy."  
  
"He knows the first part, but he doesn't know the entirely of it. And I can't tell you because you'd be in serious danger if he ever found out you knew."  
  
Cho let her hand work its way down Harry's arm till her hand found his, "I don't know what to say."  
  
Harry bit his lip and stared down at the table, "me neither."  
  
She didn't take her eyes off him, "I'll help you get though this. I swear you can count on me."  
  
A smile crept back into his face as he nodded in appreciation, "thanks" he mouthed.  
  
Cho felt a warm sensation travel down her spine. She was glad he was opening up to her a little more.  
  
"Oh, your necklace! It's glowing red," Harry observed pointing towards her chest.  
  
Cho let her hand fall to it, but didn't seem to notice its heat; "I think I'm starting to control it a bit better. It isn't so overwhelming anymore."  
  
Harry watched it anxiously, "it looks like it's on fire."  
  
"Yes, it use to burn against my skin, but I don't seem to feel it anymore. Maybe Dumbledore was right," Cho said delicately as the necklace fell between her fingers.  
  
She forced a smile as she picked up another book and feverishly read though the chapters, careful not to skip anything that looked important. Harry seemed quiet but he too seemed content on finishing the task before them.  
  
"I think we should be getting back, it's late," Harry said after a few hours with a yawn.  
  
"Oh, but we only have three books left," Cho protested.  
  
He stretched his arms over his head "we can finish them tomorrow."  
  
She glanced down at her watch, "alright, don't be late though."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, "I won't be Miss Chang."  
  
The two started to gather their things and made their way into the corridor outside the library.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow," Cho said lightly as she started to walk away.  
  
Harry seemed to be lost in a thought, "Hey, Cho? Did you know there is a Hogmeade trip coming up."  
  
She laughed slightly, "I noticed."  
  
Harry ruffled his fingers though his hair, "well, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me?"  
  
"Why Mr. Potter are you asking me out on a date?" Cho teased.  
  
"Oh course not," Harry said instantly, "I just thought maybe you'd like to hang out with me, Ron and Hermione."  
  
Cho turned a dark shade of red, "I'll let you know."  
  
She turned as quickly as her feet could possible manage he tore down the hallways in embarrassment. Why was Harry Potter always playing games with her mind? They had become such close friends over the past few weeks; they were always flirting and touching each other. But one mention of a date, and he took off like a bat out of hell. He didn't like her in that way, and she knew it.  
  
Cho shook her head in disappointment as her feet carried her closer to the Ravenclaw common room. She was almost at the entrance when she heard whispering coming from the shadows. Narrowing her eyes she strained to hear what the voices were saying.  
  
"I'm taking the dark mark, tomorrow," said a cold voice.  
  
"Do you think Dumbledore knows about what were doing?" asked another voice.  
  
"How could the old fool know, the Dark Lord is on our side, and soon Dumbldore and Harry Potter will be a forgotten memory."  
  
Cho held her breath, and tried to blend into the shadows, she wasn't sure what would happen if she was seen. As she flung herself against the wall she hit it with a soft thump.  
  
"Did you hear something?" asked one of the shadow voices.  
  
Cho closed her eyes as she felt a cold chill creep up her spine, and though her chest.  
  
"Chang!"  
  
She opened her eyes to see the cold blue eyes of Draco Malfoy, "How much did you hear?"  
  
"Enough," she said bravely, ignoring her shivers.  
  
He flung her into the wall with all his strength, "if you tell anyone, I'll kill you."  
  
Cho narrowed her eyes, and tried to control her breathing, "wait until Dumbledore finds out what your doing, you'll be expelled and thrown into Azkaban."  
  
He laughed coldly, "do you think the ministry has control of Azkaban? It is only a matter of time before my father's master kills your precious Potter."  
  
Malfoy gripped her wrist tightly in his hand and sneered at her, "then you'll see that you've made the wrong choice. You'll come around, but I can't promise I'll wait for you."  
  
She tried to pry her wrist from his grip, "I would rather die than every let you touch me."  
  
He lifted his hand and flung it sharply across her face, "you stupid fool, do you realize what is happening outside of Hogwarts as we speak!"  
  
Cho lifted her head back up and felt a surge of strength; the coldness from her necklace no longer crippled her, but empowered her. She parted her lips and the most horrid ear piercing sound escaped. Malfoy and his goons fell to their knees in pain, clinching their ears. She pushed past them running as fast as her legs would carry her to Dumbledore's office. Evil had shown it's face, and she had conquered her first challenge as the Guardian of the Phoenix. 


	14. The New Beginning

I really want part of this story to be deep and parts of it to be fluffy. I think those are the two main parts of a romance..I know some of you guys don't like Cho, and that's okay..I don't like Luna..(please don't throw rocks)  
  
Anyways..I want to thank all you guys who have given my story a chance..sniffles..it means a lot to me...  
  
Read and review.nothing is my own. **************************************************  
  
Chapter fourteen: The New Beginning  
  
Cho's tears raced down her face as her legs tripped in an unbalanced run. She felt herself heave onto the cold floor but quickly made it to her feet again, urging her body to continue a bit further. The most wonderful sight she had ever beheld found her eyes.  
  
"Professor Flitwick!" she screamed as she quickly approached him.  
  
"Miss Chang is everything okay?" he asked concerned trying to see what was chasing her.  
  
"I need to see Professor Dumbledore immediately," she cried breathless.  
  
He held out his arm to offer balance as her legs wobbled beneath her, "what seems to be the issue?"  
  
She swallowed hard in desperate attempt to catch her breath, "death eaters, in the school."  
  
"Miss Chang I assure you, there are no death eaters in these halls, you're perfectly safe," Professor Flitwick said with a smile.  
  
Cho shook her head, "you don't understand, the students are the death eaters. I was just attacked."  
  
"Now Cho, there is no need bothering the head master with this, I can take care of the situation."  
  
Cho felt her anger rising in her chest, "NO! I need to see Professor Dumbledore."  
  
The short man seemed a bit taken back by her force, "twenty points Miss Chang, now go to the common room."  
  
She narrowed her eyes as she stared at her head of house, "I'm sorry professor." Before he had an opportunity to respond to respond she pulled out her wand and said a sleeping incantation.  
  
"I'm probably going to be expelled for that," she said bitterly to herself as she ran to the statue that Harry had marked as the entrance to the head master's office.  
  
"Damn it," she said hatefully as she let her hands wander over the smooth marble, hoping to find some kind of emergency switch or something. She would have tried knocking but there wasn't a door to knock on.  
  
"PROFESSOR!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, but no response came.  
  
She finally gave the statue a violent kick in frustration.  
  
"Cho, what are you doing?" asked a familiar voice behind her.  
  
"Oh Harry," she cried as ran towards him with tears in her eyes.  
  
He tried to calm her by rubbing small circles on her back, "it's okay, what's wrong."  
  
"Malfoy just attacked me, he's taking the dark mark tomorrow. I have to tell Professor Dumbledore," she buried her head into his shoulder and continued to sob, "I attacked Professor Flitwick, he's asleep in the hallways."  
  
Harry continued to rub her back, "it's okay, I promise everything is going to be fine."  
  
She finally pulled back, "what are you doing here anyways."  
  
He lowered his eyes to the floor, searching for a lie that she would believe.  
  
"He's been taking lesson from me on an advance subject not offered at this school," said an old voice from behind him.  
  
"Professor, I have to tell you something," Cho said turning quickly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded his head, "I already know, I just pray our young Mr. Malfoy doesn't choose the path of his father."  
  
Cho bit her lip and widened her eyes, "he already has, he's taking the dark mark tomorrow. I heard him say it."  
  
"Ah, yes Miss Chang, you did hear him say it, but saying something and doing something are completely different things," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I should go escort Mr. Malfoy and his companions to the hospital wing, I imagine they won't be hearing to well for the next few days at least." He stared to walk away, "I suppose I should wake Professor Flitwick also, I might need some help escorting those certain students to the Madame Pomfrey. Harry take Miss Chang back to her common room, I think she's been though quite enough tonight."  
  
Cho watched in astonishment as Dumbledore disappeared down the dark corridor. She felt a gentle nudge on her arm.  
  
"I'm sorry about tonight, I should have walked back with you," Harry said looking slightly guilty.  
  
She quickly disagreed with him, "oh no Harry, it isn't your fault."  
  
He forced a smile as she clinched on tightly to his arm as they walked, "so what subject is Dumbledore tutoring you in?"  
  
"Defense," Harry said, nobody was supposed to know about his Occlumency lessons.  
  
Cho looked at him skeptically, "why, you're the best in your year at that subject?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "I just need the extra practice."  
  
They walked silently for a moment, "what did Dumbledore mean they wouldn't be hearing to well for the next few days?"  
  
"Huh?" she asked taken off guard by his question.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore said Malfoy and his goons wouldn't be hearing well for the next few day," Harry said again.  
  
Cho blushed slightly, "I don't really know what happened, I opened my mouth to scream for help and next thing I know Malfoy, Crabb and Goyle were on the ground clinching their ears."  
  
"Curious," Harry muttered turning away from with an expression of deep thought.  
  
"What's curious?" she asked.  
  
He turned towards her and smiled, "the amazing things those lips can do."  
  
Cho turned bright red and lowered her head, feeling awkwardly embarrassed.  
  
"That was really corny," Harry said joining her in a blush.  
  
She smiled, "honestly, yes, it was."  
  
The two laughed uncomfortably, "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry," Harry said, still flushed.  
  
They two stopped in front of the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, "no, I needed a good laugh, don't apologize."  
  
"You must think I'm such a .." Harry started to say, but was cut short as Cho inched on her toes and placed a quick kiss on his lips.  
  
"Good night Harry," she said as she lowered herself. "Flamel Strapples" she disappeared inside her common room leaving a speechless dark haired boy behind her.  
  
Her smile was undeniable as she raced up her dormitory stairs, she could still smell his scent lingering on her cloths and her skin still felt tingly where they had touched.  
  
Her dorm mates were long asleep as she quietly opened the door and snuck in, realistically she should haven been exhausted, but the adrenaline rushing though her veins pushed her exhaustion far away.  
  
She took a seat at the vanity in the dormitory room and quietly began to brush her hair, trying desperately to hold back her squeals of excitement.  
  
"I just kissed Harry," she thought playfully to herself, wondering if he was feeling the same way she was.  
  
Cho tried to daydream about the boy she had just kissed, watching her self in the mirror. Her eyes lingered on her face, her eyes and finally down to the silver pendant that hung around her small neck. She couldn't help but stare at it, watching it change before her eyes.  
  
The small bird seemed to glow with an emerald aura around it, its tiny neck moved forcefully until its head was staring right back at Cho though the mirror. She narrowed her eyes as she watched, and the tiny creature opened its beak and suddenly, she feel.  
  
Darkness swarmed around her in colors of gray and black, she felt helpless as the wind tossed her hair behind her. She closed her eyes tightly, bracing for an impact. It never came. The wind wiz zing past her ears suddenly faded and the weightless feeling was gone. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the Ravenclaw dormitory any longer, she was in a familiar office, Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Hello, Harry I apologize for starting our lessons so late this evening," said the old professor.  
  
Harry nodded, "that's okay professor. Hello Fawkes," Harry greeting looking over towards her.  
  
She tried to speak but had lost the ability to vocalize, when she opened her mouth, only a few soft notes escaped.  
  
"I trust Miss Chang made it back safely?" Dumbledore inquired.  
  
Harry nodded as he pulled his wand from robes, "I'm afraid I'm letting her get to close professor, I don't want to place her to get hurt."  
  
Dumbledore smiled, "Harry, it isn't for you to decide who gets hurt in the war or not, all you can do is live."  
  
"Yes professor," Harry nodded, but his face said he didn't agree with Dumbledore's logic.  
  
Cho watched desperately wishing she had the ability to scream, a terrible thought crosses her mind, what if she couldn't get back. Her heart suddenly dropped as Dumbldore threw a funny sounding spell at Harry who doubled over on his knees in an obvious pain before he threw the curse off.  
  
"Excellent Harry," you're showing great improvement.  
  
Harry nodded and rose to his feet again, raising his wand to a defensive position.  
  
"Legilimens!" Dumbledore said throwing the curse back at Harry.  
  
Cho felt her wings lift her off the pedestal she had been perched upon. It was an extraordinary feeling soaring though the air, she might have enjoyed it if her destination wasn't between the curse Dumbledore had just thrown and Harry Potter.  
  
The cruse caught her dead in the chest and she felt the beauty of flight fail as she crashed into the cold stone floor, everything went black. 


	15. The Hufflepuff Match

I normally write longer chapter in my fanfics, but I actually am trying to keep it under 1500 words per chapter..Anyways...thanks for all the reviews..  
  
Here is another chapter...  
  
Nothing is my own.  
  
Read and Review  
  
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Chapter Fifteen: The Hufflepuff Match  
  
The room was swirling as the fallen dark haired girl tried to focus. Her whole body ached, and for a brief moment a relieved sensation ran though her. She was back in her dormitory, in her own body. The spell she had flown into, the funny sounding one, rung in her ear, "legilimens."  
  
What were they doing in the Head Master's Office? What was Dumbledore teaching Harry? So many questions, sometimes she wished she didn't remember her dreams or experiences or what ever the hell they were. The small silver pendent suddenly dimmed and it reaction caught Cho's eye in the mirror she was facing.  
  
"Funny," she muttered watching it, motionless against her reflection.  
  
The days that followed were uneventful, except the fact Harry was avoiding her. Well, so it appeared to her. He had found an excuse to miss their last four study dates. Which left her feeling empty at night as she sat, researching alone. To make thing worse, the upcoming Ravenclaw/ Hufflepuff Quidditch match was quickly approaching.  
  
Quidditch practices had been a nightmare. The Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, her wonderful former boyfriend, Michael Corner, had given her an extremely hard way to go. He had made her so nervous she had missed the snitch on several occasions, after trying to catch it the entire practice. It amazed her that a sport she had once loved so much, now brought her such grief.  
  
That dreaded Saturday arrived mush faster than Cho had thought possible. As her nervous feet carried her down towards the Ravenclaw team locker room, she felt an overwhelming sensation to run. If she deserted the team now, they would certainly lose, but her lacking skills at the moment didn't given them much better odds.  
  
"It's about time, your late!" snap Loritta Fint, a third year on the house team.  
  
"Sorry, I lost track of time," Cho confessed as she started changing into her bright blue robes.  
  
The team had already received their gamely lecture from Corner before she had arrived, and the only words of wisdom her captain could offer her were, "don't screw up, or your off the team."  
  
"Inspiring," Cho though bitterly to herself as he walked away.  
  
Why she felt so nervous was beyond her, she had been on the house team since her fourth year. This was just like every other game. No, it was easier than every other game. The Hufflepuff's had the weakest seeker on their house team. The Slytherin's had Malfoy, and he usually could fair well against her. The Gryffindor's had Harry, and he was almost undefeated. The only person who ever beat Harry was Cedric on Hufflepuff.  
  
Oh why did she have to think of Cedric now, her mind was doomed the entire game. She fought to fight back the tears forming on her eyes as she entered the cheering stadium. She mounted her broom and took her position on the field. She couldn't even make out what the commentator was saying.  
  
"Now I want a good clean match," Madame Hooch said before blowing her whistle, starting the game.  
  
Cho watched as her fellow teammates completely over dominate the Hufflepuff team.  
  
"Better start looking for it now," Cho muttered to herself scanning the field for the tiny golden ball.  
  
Her mind just wasn't into the game, the more she tried to search, the more she seemed to get distracted. When she searched the upper end of the Quidditch field she found herself staring into the Forbidden Forrest, "Cho snap out of it," she lectured herself.  
  
Searching down the other side her eyes drifted upon the castle, but she stopped herself before she started daydreaming. She scanned the sides of the pitch. Looking though the crowd to see who had turned up for the game.  
  
"Marietta seems into the game today," she thought to herself watching her cheer as Michael smashed a bludger into a Hufflepuff chaser.  
  
She followed the bench down and stared at Padma for a minuet, she seemed excited too. Her eyes wandered onto every house, searching the hardest on the Gryffindor benches. She almost lost her balances when she saw those green eyes she had been searching for staring straight at her. Harry looked at her in confusion, almost asking, "What are you doing?"  
  
Cho tried not to blush as she broke her eye contact with him, although she told herself not to, she looked back. He lifted his arm and pointed downward towards the opposite side of the pitch she was on, as she followed his finger, she saw it.  
  
It looked like a miniature sun glimmering across the field. She didn't have time to think about it, gripping her broom tightly in her hands she made a sudden dive straight in that direction.  
  
Inching closer and closer, the wind hitting her face, causing her eyes to water. She was almost there, just a few more meters.  
  
"NO!!!" she screamed as she saw the Hufflepuff seeker come from her right just inches in front her. His hand was now proudly holding up the caught golden prize.  
  
Cho hit the ground hard in her landing; steam must have been rolling off her head. Why had she wasted so much time up there, that snitch should have been hers.  
  
"CHANG, what the bloody hell happened? Were you daydreaming up there or playing Quidditch?" Michael Corner snapped behind her, flaring his broom in the air.  
  
Cho spun around, her Asian temper shinning though, "Shut-up Corner, I almost had it!"  
  
"Almost? That isn't good enough, if you can't seek, we'll have to find someone who can," he warned.  
  
Cho approached him yelling inches from his face, "IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE BETTER THAN DO IT. YOU'VE WANTED TO KICK ME OFF THE TEAM SINCE WE BROKE UP."  
  
Michael stared down at her, clinching his fist at his side, "WAS THIS PART OF YOU AND POTTER'S PLAN, FOIL OUR EASIEST GAME OF THE YEAR?"  
  
"Me and Potter's plan? HOW DARE YOU!" Cho shrilled.  
  
"Take those robes off, your not part of this team anymore," he replied coldly, turning shapely away from her.  
  
She watched him walk away in disbelief, was she really off the team? Could he do that? The cheering crowds were too much, like a constant jeering in her ear. She swore she could hear them laughing at her. She closed her eyes wishing they would stop. Suddenly her hands cupped her ears and she rocked back and forth, the smiling laughing faces spinning in front of her.  
  
"Please stop it," she cried, as the tears streamed down her face.  
  
She screamed, and noise in the stadium suddenly stopped silent. If they weren't looking at her before, they were now. The piercing noise that was so loud and shrill, it would have stopped a Banshee's train of thoughts.  
  
Cho looked up and stared at the shocked faces looking at her, many of them clinching their ears still. Her pendant was burning against her chest, hotter than she had ever felt grow it before. She swallowed hard and ran, wishing she could disappear. She didn't even realizes she was running straight into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
The sunlight grew faint as she pushed deeper though the trees, her tears blurring her path. She had never felt so embarrassed in all her life. Not only had she lost the game and kicked off her house team, she had made that piercing noise again. This time she had done it in front of the whole school.  
  
She wondered if anybody would chase after her, if anybody would even care she had run into the Forbidden Forest. Once she had thought maybe Harry Potter would, but after the way he had been avoiding her, what a joke. One kiss, (technically three kisses) and he acted like she was a plague. No, the only one who would care was dead.  
  
Cho hadn't thought about Cedric a lot in the recent past. It had taken awhile but her heart had healed; now it felt like the wound had been slashed open again. Only this time it hurt worse, she longed him for so badly at that moment.  
  
Finally after several minuets of running she collapsed to her knees and sobbed. Her fallen tears drenched the ground.  
  
"HAGGARD," she heard a gruff voice call.  
  
Cho's head shot up as she stared wide-eyed in the direction of the sound.  
  
"HAGGARD," she heard again.  
  
She wasn't sure how far she had run, she wasn't even sure which direction she had come from. She tried to breath, but the air wouldn't go into her lungs.  
  
"HAGGARD," it was getting louder.  
  
Her tears of sorrow suddenly turned to tears of fear. She was completely out of her element. She reached for her wand, but realized quickly, that she was in her Quidditch robes, her wand was back in her school robes.  
  
"Defenseless," she said quietly to herself.  
  
"HAGGARD!" it was just on the other side of the trees now.  
  
She curled down into a ball on the ground her shaking was growing uncontrollable. "I can't just give up like this," she urged herself.  
  
Wobbling as she stood she suddenly found the courage, or fear, to run. It didn't matter the direction, it was away from that terrifying voice. The limbs cut into her pamper skin as she pushed pass them, praying for an end. 


	16. Better Left Untold

Someone made a request for fluff. I don't know if I can really do fluff yet, since there is still some tension between the two main characters. There is a story going on with Harry right now too, we just don't know what it is. Remember he is the boy who lived, and his life is always complicated. Anyways….thanks for all the reviews, and while this chapter is short, it is necessary. 

Nothing is my Own,

Read and Review.

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Chapter Sixteen: Better Left a Untold

Why had she agreed to do it, why had she said yes? Because she was forced to, the options presented to her at the time were wander around the Forbidden Forest until something ate her, or agree to his terms. Maybe if she had been a brave Gryffindor she would have chosen the first option, but being the logical Ravenclaw, she had chosen the later.

It was possibly the stupidest thing she had ever done, running into the Forbidden Forest. Then there was the voice that made her blood separate in her veins calling for "HAGGARD."

The mystery of the forest had terrified her. Her skin has felt placid and chilled as the sharp twigs tore into the flesh on her arms and legs. 

Just when she had given up hope, and concluded she was doomed to wander the forest until death found her, she saw him. Not the boy she longed to see, but the one she dreaded. The coldness that consumed her as he approached was almost too much to bear, but lucky she fought her way though it, she was gaining more control over her emotions everyday.

The clan had emerged from the dark shadows of the trees. Apparently the game had been their cover. They walked in a single file row in dark hoods robes. If she hadn't felt that familiar coldness, she might have run.

When she spotted them her first instinct was to grab her wand and fight, but since she didn't have her wand, she had to rely on her wits. She might have gone unnoticed, but making her presences known would give her the upper hand.

"Traitor!" Cho screamed as she emerged from the trees towards the hooded group.

"Chang, what are you doing out here," sneered the cold voice of Draco Malfoy.

Cho narrowed her eyes, "I could ask you the same question, Malfoy."

Draco threw the hood off his head and his cold eyes gleamed insanely, "go on, I'll catch up."  


One of his fellow dark followers started to protest, but Draco shouted at him to go, apparently Malfoy was the leader of this society.

After they obediently left his side he reared back on her, "scared yet?"

"You don't scare me," Cho said boldly.

Malfoy suddenly developed a wicked grin on his face, "I guess you're finding yourself in a bit of a spot. Being from the looks of those cuts on your arms and legs, you don't know your way out of here."

Cho tugged on her skirt, feeling Malfoy's eye's examining her, "I'll manage."

"Fine, manage," Malfoy sneered turned to leave again.

She narrowed her eyes and hissed, "what going to stop me from following your out of here?"

Malfoy grinned, "I'm not heading out of here, I'm going to a Death Eater's meeting. You're welcome to come along, we could use the human sacrifice."

"You're lying!" Cho shrilled.

He shrugged, "I could propose an alternative to wandering the Forbidden Forest alone at night. It will be getting dark soon. I won't tell you the terrible things that will rip you apart that roam this place at night."

She felt a chill shoot up her spine as he eyes rested on hers.

"Wh,what kind of things?" Cho stuttered.

"Vampires, werewolves, and worse. There are creatures in here that can suck out your soul just by looking into your eyes," Draco taunted.

She bit her lip as she looked around at rustling leaves. If she agreed to his terms, she'd regret it, "what are you proposing."

Draco smiled widely, "one outing with me. Hogmeade."

"NEVER!" Cho screamed.

He shrugged, "suit yourself, it has been nice knowing you. I'll give my sympathy to your parents. I'm sure they'll miss you dearly."

That is when she heard it again in the distant, "HAGGARD!"

Her pendant burning like a cube of ice against her chest, warning her not to agree, the voice growing louder telling her the opposite.

"Fine, one outing," Cho finally spat as she shivered. 

Draco nodded with a sly smile, he turned and after reluctantly considering it followed him. It wouldn't surprise her one bit if Draco lead her to the Death Eaters meeting to kill her. When the trees started thinning out and daylight shined though Cho breath a sigh of relief.

"There you are," Malfoy announced, he leaned in and let his cold lips brush against her cheek, causing her whole chest to freeze. "Make sure to tell your precious Potter of our plans."

After several minuets, he had disappeared again into the darkness of the forest. Her shaking had grown more violent, and the overwhelming cold surging though her body was now beyond her control. Her legs gave out, and with a hard crash her knees found the ground.  
  
"HARRY, RON OVER HERE!" she heard a female voice screamed.

Cho tried to lift her head, but couldn't and it wasn't until she felt those familiar warm arms engulf her did she finally shot shaking.

"Are you okay?" 

She nodded letting her head collapse into his chest. That had been three weeks ago, and she still hadn't told Harry of her promise to Malfoy. She could back out of course, but she had never broken a promise. A promise was something Cho took very seriously, and she wasn't going to let a prat like Malfoy destroy her strongest value. 

Harry once again was opening up to her, and their study dates were once again becoming a daily routine. She hadn't told Hermione, Ron or Harry about her encounter with Malfoy. She had convinced them that it was the darkness of the forest that had scared her so badly.   
  
When she told them about the voice calling "HAGGARD," Hermione had suddenly excused herself and ran in the direction of Hagrid's hut, which seemed odd to Cho.

Harry had been so concerned; he had stayed with her until curfew that night. 

Cho looked up as she saw Harry approaching from across the library, distracting her train of thought. 

"Hey having any luck?" he asked with a smile.

Cho returned his smile, "not much."

"This weekend is the Hogmeade trip, are you coming with me, Ron and Hermione?" Harry questioned casually.

Cho eyes grew wide, "I don't yet, I might be going be going with some other people."

The look of Harry's face was disappointment, "oh, okay. Maybe we can meet up at the Three Broom Sticks for lunch or something."

Mentally she beat herself up over and over again. She wanted nothing better than to go to Hogmeade with Harry and his friends, instead she was going with the son of all-evil.

After only a few minuets of research Harry lifted his head and grabbed Cho's hand, "I'm burnt out on this stuff, let's get out of here tonight."

As much as Cho wanted to object she simply nodded in agreement. She placed her books back into her book satchel and followed Harry out of the library into the corridors.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked.

Harry grinned, "have you ever met Dobby?"

"Dobby?" Cho said raising her eyebrows.

"Yea, I told him I'd visit him. He's the Malfoy's old house elf, until I tricked Mr. Malfoy into freeing him," Harry said proudly.

Cho forced a laugh as she trembled at the mention of the name Malfoy. 

"Are you okay? Your trembling," Harry said concerned eyeing her.

She nodded, "I'm fine."

He pulled her close to him as they walked; he rubbed her shoulder with the palm of her hand trying to warm her.

"Thank-you," she muttered.

Suddenly Harry stopped and she stopped to. It was a strange moment, but she found herself easily getting lost in those deep green eyes. She saw the same thing that were in her eyes: fear, loneliness, regret. 

Harry's voice shook slightly, "I'm scared to let you get too close."

Cho didn't let her eye's waiver, "I know."

Inching closer and closer, time seemed to suddenly stop. 


	17. The Real Harry Potter

Another Chapter...I forced myself to write this one..  
  
Anyways..My plot is starting to thicken, and a big surprise await our heroine at the end, thanks for all the reviews, they've been great.I'm glad you guys like my story!  
  
  
  
Read and Review,  
  
Nothing is My Own  
  
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Chapter Seventeen: The Real Harry Potter  
  
It was like floating on cloud nine. She didn't think she could ever feel like this again, she thought when Cedric had died that she would be alone the rest of her life. It wasn't the first time she had kissed Harry Potter, but it was the first time Harry Potter had kissed her.  
  
Cho wanted to tell him everything, all her guilt, all her fears, but she couldn't. Then there was the biggest lump in her mind, her promise to Malfoy. Tomorrow was the day of the Hogmeade trip, and she still hadn't told Harry.  
  
Things were going so well between them, she just didn't want it to end yet. Not when she had lived in guilt and misery the past year because of a similar mistake. She had done a good job of avoiding running into Draco while with Harry, but she hadn't been able to avoid Draco all together.  
  
When she had seen the slimy Slytherin he had been quick to remind her of her promise. As she pulled the cold sheets across her bare legs she quivered. Morning was coming to quickly, and the thought of the day approaching sent a feeling a dread throughout her body. She would do anything to take it back, anything to get out of her promised engagement.  
  
Cho shook her head trying to forget the woes of her future. Instead she found herself running her fingers across her lips, she let out a slight giggled and kicked her legs under her sheets. She could still feel him drawing nearer, she could still feel his lips when they touched hers. Her necklace and burned red against her chest, and she felt an emotion equal to it.  
  
"Cho what are you giggling about over there?" asked the groggy voice of Marietta.  
  
Cho eyed her curtain wearily, "nothing."  
  
Marietta let out a grunt, "then could you keep it down over there, some people are trying to sleep."  
  
Cho pulled her covers around her shoulder and willed her eyes shut. She knew she needed sleep; a tough day faced her when she awoke.  
  
** It as a beautiful night, and although they were breaking curfew it didn't matter. The evening was perfect as she felt the strong arms of Cedric Diggory wrap around her.  
  
"I love you Cho," Cedric said softly into her ear as they sat under the stars.  
  
She threw her eyes back onto him, had he just said what she thought he had, "sorry." How could he say that? It was too soon, saying it like this. She felt he was sealing  
  
Cedric kissed her cheek, "I love you."  
  
"Cedric," Cho started, always the logical thinking Ravenclaw, but he kissed her suddenly to quite her.  
  
When he pulled back and allowed his eyes catch hers, "I don't expect you to say you love me, I just wanted you to know how I felt before I went into the third task."  
  
"Cedric, everything is going to be fine. You're going to be fine," Cho said quickly pulling her arms around him.  
  
It felt so good to hug him, but she didn't think it was love. Maybe it was, but they barely knew each other.  
  
**  
  
Cho awoke suddenly, tears streaming down her face. She didn't like dreaming about Cedric, she hadn't thought about that night for many months now. Why was she thinking about it now? She had nothing to feel guilty about, and if she had feelings for Harry there was nothing wrong with that. She wasn't betraying Cedric's memory.  
  
The bright sun told Cho what she dreaded; it was morning, and time to face the music.  
  
Normally Cho took so much care with her appearance, but not today, she didn't want to look nice for Malfoy.  
  
She decided to hide in her dormitory as long as possible, skipping breakfast which she knew she'd probably later regret. When Cho did finally find her feet and make her way to the main doors to meet her date.  
  
Cho cringed, "he wasn't her date, he was a pity, something she was doing against her will."  
  
She felt the missing breakfast in her stomach creep up into her throat as her eyes found Malfoy. He was standing confidently against the wall with that evil smirk branded across his face.  
  
She approached him with a sickened expression on her face.  
  
"Your late," Malfoy hissed as he caught sight of her.  
  
"First off, lets get something straight, I'm here against my will so don't push your luck," she spat back.  
  
The two walked in silence towards the village of Hogmeade. Draco Malfoy had a smug expression on his face, while Cho was trying her best to look like she wasn't with him.  
  
As they entered the village Cho bit her bottom lip and asked, "so where are we going?"  
  
Malfoy curled his lip, "where is your precious Potter at today?"  
  
She narrowed her eyes feeling slightly ill, Harry was the one person she was determined to avoid today.  
  
"Don't tell me, I'll find him before the end of our outing," Malfoy said coldly.  
  
She should have known, he wanted Harry to know about their outing. He wasn't going to succeed, if she didn't want to find Harry, she wouldn't. She tried to stay confident, believing the naïve statement she kept telling herself.  
  
It happened much sooner than she had anticipated, she had convinced Draco to go to the Three Broom Sticks early, hoping to miss the majority of the Hogwarts student body.  
  
She even picked a table in the farthest corner of the room. When Draco had made a grab for her hand she had threw a hexing spell at him as a warning not to touch her.   
  
She sat drinking her butter beer, hoping for an end to her suffering. Cho saw him entering a mile away, you couldn't miss that head full of dark mess hair. She almost dove under the table when he entered the bar, but leave it to Malfoy to capitalize on an idea situation.  
  
"Hey Potter," Malfoy called.  
  
Harry didn't say a word, seeing Cho with Draco was enough. He stood there a few seconds with his mouth hanging open. Ron Weasley's eyes darted from Cho to Harry and looking on the verge of speech, but Hermione Granger nudged him hard in the ribs when sound finally came from his lips.  
  
Cho didn't know what to do, wave, say hello, hide under the table and pray he hadn't seen her yet. Harry stormed out the Three Broom Sticks slamming the door behind him. She made a motion to get up to follow him.  
  
"You made a promise to me, where do you think you're going?" Draco hissed at her.  
  
A shot of ice ran up her vein though her arm and she snatched her arm out of his grip, "don't touch me! You're a bloody prat," Cho spat at him turning quickly to follow Harry.  
  
She pushed her way though the crowd calling after the dark haired boy almost out of her sight. She knew he heard her, but he didn't slow down at all.  
  
"Harry, please let me explain," she cried, "HARRY!"  
  
Finally he stopped and turned around, his face twisted in anger, "What, go ahead explain what you were doing in the Three Broom Sticks with my worst enemy? WHY WERE YOU WITH MALFOY!"  
  
"You don't understand, I didn't have a choice," Cho tried.  
  
"CHOICE! He." Harry trailed off flaring his hands into the air, "I trusted you! And you pull a stunt like this? So are you two dating?"  
  
"No, it was just an outing, I promised him."  
  
"Never mind, I should have known better. You could never understand," Harry said coldly.  
  
Cho tried not to cry watching Harry explode with anger. He was looking at her with so much hate, "I'm sorry.  
  
"I hope you and Malfoy are very happy together," Harry hissed before storming off again.  
  
She didn't chase after him this time she didn't see the point. This was a side of Harry Potter she never wanted to see again. She watched him disappear into the crowd when something strange caught her eye.  
  
A small cubby partial bald man in a dark black cloak was following Harry, he looked so familiar, but she couldn't place him. She had seen him somewhere before, almost like she knew him from a dream.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 


	18. Lonely Holiday

I'm sorry these chapters are so short, my last chapter was terribly written, but if you go back, I've revised it slightly to make it make more sense, it has a bit more description in it now and isn't so choppy. Thanks to all my reviewers...you guys are my inspiration.  
  
Read and Review Nothing is my Own ***********************************************************  
  
Chapter Eighteen: Lonely Holidays  
  
The Christmas holiday was pressing on Cho's mind. Why did it come so quickly? She had a terrible fear that if the situation between her and Harry was left unresolved it would only grow worse during their time apart. He wasn't speaking to her at all, not even to cancel their study dates, and Cho's necklace seemed to have died with Harry's feeling for her.  
  
Wallowing in misery, she found herself thinking about Cedric more and more often, and with thoughts of Cedric came tears. Since the trip to Hogmeade, Cho had cried herself to sleep every night. Her dreams were not longer related to the Phoenix, but were of Cedric, confessing his love, dying and leaving her alone. Twice she had tried to apologize to Harry about her outing with Malfoy, but he wouldn't even listen. Not that she blamed him, if she could do it over again she would have never agreed to go out with Draco.  
  
"Cho, are you crying again?" asked Padma sweetly taking a seat next to her on the Ravenclaw common room couch.  
  
Cho ran the back of her hand across her eyes, "I'm fine."  
  
"You look terrible, if you need to talk I'm here," Padma offered.  
  
"Thanks," Cho muttered with a hiccup.  
  
Padma rubbed Cho's back supportively and waited for her to being with her toils.  
  
"I did something really stupid, I went out with Draco Malfoy," Cho started.  
  
"Oh Cho, you didn't," Padma said dangerously.  
  
Cho nodded, "I did, but it wasn't like that, I went against my will. Anyways, Harry saw me with him and he's not talking to me. It's just upsetting that's all."  
  
"Why would Harry get upset?" Padma asked quickly.  
  
"Because we were, I don't know dating, talking, call it what you will," Cho cried.  
  
Padma's face dropped suddenly, "Harry asked Pavarti to write him over the holidays."  
  
"What?" Cho said looking up slightly shocked.  
  
Padma pulled Cho into a sisterly hug, "I'm so sorry."  
  
"Figures," Cho thought bitterly to herself. Her life was just perfect, Cedric dies, Michael dumped her, and Harry well she wasn't even going to say what Harry had done. She was tired of it she was tired of men.  
  
Cho tried to dry her tears, "so are they dating now?"  
  
"I don't know, they've been spending a lot of time together," Padma confessed.  
  
Cho had heard enough, "thanks for listening, I've got to go get ready, the train leaves in an hour."  
  
"Well, have a happy Christmas, I'll see you when you get back," Padma said giving Cho a goodbye hug.  
  
As she gathered her things quickly, thinking about Harry moving on with Pavarti. The more she thought the longer she thought the more violently she threw her things into her trunk. The thought of being stuck at her family's museum for three weeks was making her feel even bitterer.  
  
How could Harry ask Pavarti to write to him during the holidays, didn't they share something special?  
  
"I hope they're happy together," she muttered hatefully to herself.  
  
She lugged her heavy chest down the girls dormitory stairs and though the Ravenclaw common room, flashing Michael Corner an evil glance as she passed him.  
  
"Do you need help with that?" Terry Boots, one of Michael's closest friends, offered.  
  
Cho smiled at him, "I think I've got it."  
  
"Nonsense, let me help," he said taking the matter out of her hands.  
  
He carried her chest down the corridor to where all the other's trunks were stacked, waiting for the house elves to pack them to the train.  
  
"Well, I hope you have a Happy Christmas," Terry said sweetly.  
  
"Thank-you, Happy Christmas to you too," Cho returned.  
  
She never realized what a nice guy Terry was, why did he hang out with a creep like Michael.  
  
"New friend?" said a voice she hadn't been expecting to hear.  
  
Cho spun around with a shocked expression on her face, "he just helped me with my trunk."  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes, "why didn't you just get Malfoy to help you?"  
  
"Harry, I don't like Malfoy, there isn't anything between us, I swear," Cho pleaded.  
  
Harry swallowed hard, turning his bright green eyes from her pleading gaze.  
  
"I know you're made at me, but Happy Christmas," Cho said fighting back her tears, "tell Pavarti hello for me."  
  
Before Harry had a chance to respond she turned quickly and disappeared, she already felt like a big enough fool with him saying a word.  
  
The train ride back was quiet for Cho, and the thoughts about Harry carried her though the most of the ride back. Alford was waiting for her at the train station, and with a few finally farewells she departed back to her home.  
  
Alford, the Chang family house elf, fixed Cho a bite to eat when they arrived at the Chang family manor. Her parents were out of town for the next couple days, leaving Cho alone to wallow in her misery.  
  
"So miss, how was school?" Alford asked politely setting her food in front of her.  
  
"Good, thanks for asking," Cho told her house elf.  
  
Staring at her food, she suddenly lost her appetite, "I'm really not all that hungry, could you save this for me, I might eat it later."  
  
"Are you still grieving for master Cedric?" Alford asked with a sincerity of worry in his voice.  
  
Cho shook her head, "no, I'm better, promise."  
  
"Well, I'll respect your request, I do wish you'd eat a bit more," he muttered taking her food from beneath her.  
  
Her bedroom felt so foreign, and the mirror on the opposite side of her bed caught her eye. She knew better than to stare into it, she was tired of her little visions. The thoughts of Harry and Pavarti were making her absolutely ill. What if Harry had been playing her the whole time, his true intentions were with Pavarti not her.  
  
"Stop it Cho, your doing it again," she scolded herself.  
  
It was going to be a long holiday.  
  
It seemed like Cho went to bed and woke up Christmas morning, her mother knocking on her door telling her to wake up. She didn't care if it was Christmas, she didn't want to get up.  
  
Dragging her feet across the wooden floor she made her way into the living room and sat near the large pile of presents in front of the Christmas tree.  
  
"Which one do you want to open first," her mother asked, still cling to Cho's youth.  
  
Cho shrugged, she was getting too old for presents.  
  
"Child, you've got to stop mopping, you have to move on," her mother lectured with her father agreeing.  
  
"I'm fine mum, just a bit tired," she fumbled over the first box slowly tearing back the shiny paper. It was the usually litter of presents, same as every Christmas before.  
  
A few articles of clothing, some collection pieces, some new supplies for school, a whole flock of worthless possessions. The last present barely caught Cho's eye but she began to open the brown parcel, not even paying attention to the name scribbled on the outside paper.  
  
"Who's that one from dear?" her father asked.  
  
"I don't know," Cho confessed as she tore back the paper.  
  
Cho almost dropped the small figurine, knowing instantly what it was.  
  
"What is that?" Cho mother asked narrowing her eyes.  
  
A small figurine of a Hungarian Horntail lay quietly in Cho's hand. Cedric had one similar to the one she had just been given. She didn't need to read the letter to know who the gift was from. 


	19. Family Tradition

I know it has been a while since I've updated (hold the tomatoes.) I've been out of town, but I did get some writing done while I was away. This chapter is probably one of the shortest chapters I've written because nothing much happens, it's is kinda the Sirius situation..read and you'll see what I mean, if everything goes right the next chapter will be super long. So anyways..enjoy and review...There isn't a whole lot left, but the surprise at the end will make it worth it, I hope...  
  
Nothing is my Own..So you can't sue me for copyright infringement. Also, Read and Review..all comments are appreciated.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Chapter Nineteen: Family Tradition  
  
The small figurine sat motionless on Cho's nightstand. She stared at it, "why did Harry send me his figurine?" The thoughts of Harry fluttered in and out of her mind causing her to smile. She wanted to write him, to talk to him but most of all to see him again.  
  
A knock on the door caused Cho to jump slightly, "come in."  
  
"Cho dear, are you still awake?" her mother asked quietly.  
  
"Yes mum, did you want something?"  
  
Her mother strolled though making her way to her daughter's bed, "your father and I are a bit concerned."  
  
Cho looked puzzled, "what about?"  
  
Her mother gave a sigh, "Harry Potter, we know he's the one who sent you this figurine."  
  
Cho eye's darted to the small dragon, "why are you concerned with Harry?"  
  
"He doesn't exactly have the, well best reputation. We think maybe you shouldn't surround yourself with his kind," her mother said gently.  
  
"His kind?" Cho asked defensively.  
  
"You know, mixed blood. His mother was a muggle, and he does live with a muggle family," Mrs. Chang continued.  
  
"What? Would you rather me surround myself with people like the Malfoys?" Cho said, meaning it to sound sarcastic.  
  
"They are purebloods, I know Mr. Malfoy has been in a bit of trouble lately, but they're a good family."  
  
"Weren't the Potter's a good family?" Cho questioned.  
  
"The elder Potter's were, and yes James Potter was a pure blood, but," her mother sighed, "I've just heard so many conflicting things about this Harry. He went though a terrible ordeal when he was very young, and sometimes that can affect people in weird ways."  
  
"You don't even know him and you're judging him. I'm perfectly capable of making my own decision," Cho said wishing to end the conversation.  
  
"I don't want to see you get hurt again, as your mother, I can't go though that again," her mother said on the verge of tears.  
  
"I'm not going to get hurt," Cho snapped back.  
  
Her mother leaned in and kissed her forehead, "I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, just think about it before you jump into something head first. Your father wanted me to tell you he also doesn't approve the boy."  
  
Mrs. Chang closed the door quietly, and Cho rolled violently away from the door.  
  
"Why do they have to be so stubborn," Cho muttered to herself.  
  
"Oh this is pointless."  
  
She flung herself from her bed and stormed over to her desk.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I know you didn't ask me to write you.  
  
"No that sounds stupid," she lectured herself.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Why did you send me your figurine?  
  
Cho shook her head.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I hope you're having a Happy Christmas. I just wanted to thank your for the gift, but I'm curious why you sent it to me. Please write back, I'll be waiting for your response.  
  
Cho  
  
Before she could have a chance to change her mind, she snuck out her bedroom and ran down the stairs to the family owl room and sent off her letter.  
  
"Cho, what are you doing up at this hour?" said the stern voice of Cho's father.  
  
"Dad, I was just sending a letter to a friend," Cho confessed.  
  
Cho father narrowed his eyes, "you were sending a letter to him!"  
  
"You are my daughter, and as long as you live under my roof, you'll live by my rules," he continued.  
  
Cho bit her lip, choking back her tears, "why are you doing this?"  
  
"You are not to see that boy again, do you understand me?" he finished.  
  
Cho felt her warm tears streaming down her face, "No, I don't understand, you can't keep me from seeing him."  
  
"I'm your father, don't tell me what I can't do!"  
  
"WELL YOU CAN'T! I LIKE HARRY, AND IF I WANT TO SEE HIM I WILL!" Cho shrilled, it was the first time she had ever raised her voice to her father.  
  
"Pack your things, I want you out of my house. I will not tolerate this kind of disrespect," Cho father retaliated.  
  
"FINE!" she pushed passed him feeling miserable.  
  
She reached her room and started throwing thing into her chest, why was she being so stupid? Her and Harry weren't anything. He had asked Pavarti Patril to write him over the holidays, not Cho.  
  
"Cho, apologize to your father, he doesn't want you to leave," said the kind voice her her family house elf as he entered her bedroom to help her pack.  
  
"I will not contour to his stupid ways of thinking!" Cho cried.  
  
"Do you love him miss?" Alford asked.  
  
"No," Cho said suddenly.  
  
Alford smiled, "then ask yourself, is he worth throwing your family away?"  
  
"They don't like him because of what they read in the Daily News, they don't even know him," she continued.  
  
Alford shook his head, "they don't like him because they don't want to see you hurt and suffer again."  
  
Cho wiped the tears off her face and took in a couple breaths between sobs.  
  
"Harry Potter will die, it is his destiny, and he will leave you morning not the loss of one love but two."  
  
Cho legs gave way and she collapsed to the floor, a tiny voice in her head piecing everything together.  
  
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the Seventh Month dies."  
  
"It's his destiny to vanquish the Dark Lord," Cho finally cried.  
  
"Neither can live while the other survives."  
  
Cho sobbed uncontrollable, everything finally made sense.  
  
"It's okay miss, Alford is here," the house elf tried to comfort.  
  
"He can't die Alford, I love him," Cho finally confessed to herself. "I've always loved him."  
  
"You're just upset now miss," Alford continued.  
  
"No, I betrayed Cedric before he even died. When I saw the two of them on the Quidditch field after the end of the third task," Cho broke down her guilt overwhelming her, "I was relieved, if I had to choose between Cedric or Harry living, I would have picked Harry."  
  
"Master Chang would like to see his only child marry into a strong pure blood family."  
  
"Like the Malfoys," Cho spat.  
  
Alford nodded.  
  
Cho took a few deep breaths and started to pack again.  
  
"Please do not leave miss," Alford begged.  
  
Cho looked at the only family she felt she had left, "I'm not one of them, and I never will be."  
  
She closed the lid of her trunk and carried it eagerly down the stairs to where her parents were arguing viciously.  
  
"You tell you daughter she doesn't have to leave!" her mother spat at her father.  
  
"My daughter would have never have raised her voice to me, I do not know this witch in front of me," her father said coldly.  
  
"Cho, you don't have to go, stay apologize to your father," Cho's mother pleaded.  
  
"Goodbye," Cho managed to choke out before heading to the door.  
  
"CHO, don't walk out that door," her mother bellowed.  
  
Moments later she sat at the edge of the corner waiting for the Knight's Bus.  
  
"Where to miss?" greeted the bus driver.  
  
"Hogwarts please," Cho said politely.  
  
The bus was empty at this late hour, and several beds were made neatly inviting her to take a short nap during her voyage.  
  
"Look a tab bit down on this Christmas day, I'm up here ya know, if ya need a friendly ear," he rambled.  
  
Cho felt the breath escape from her chest as the bus began to move with a loud pop to begin the bumpy ride.  
  
"um Sir, is it suppose to be this bumpy?" Cho asked clinching onto the seat with a tight grip.  
  
"Nothing to worry about, call me Stan by the way," the drive said a happily, "what'cha name?"  
  
Wide eye she finally managed to mutter out, "Cho."  
  
"That's an unusual name?" Stan said suddenly.  
  
"It's Chinese," she said, still nervous.  
  
Stan nodded, "that had been my guess, any relations to the Changs?"  
  
Cho stared out the window fighting back her tears, "no."  
  
As far as she was concerned she wasn't a Chang anymore. 


	20. I'd Risk Everything For You

Sorry for the delay in the chapter...Thanks for all the kind reviews.I don't want to kill the suspense of this story.enjoy.  
  
Nothing is my own. Read a Review *******************************************************************  
  
Chapter Twenty: I'll Risk Everything For You  
  
The castle was empty, and with the exception of two first years she didn't know, Cho was alone in the Ravenclaw house. She breathe a sigh of relief as she pulled the cover over her cold feet and try to get some well deserved rest. Her eyes burned from the tears that had fallen earlier that evening. Forcing her eyes close she began to enter the forgotten world of dreams.  
  
**  
  
"Cho!" Cedric screamed from across the castle lawn. She spun around looking cautiously "I haven't seen you much this year, how have you been?" he asked her nervously. Cho forced a skeptical smile, "I've been fine, congratulations on the first task, you were wonderful." "No, I could have done better," Cedric said modestly. Some of her Ravenclaw friends motioned her to hurry up, "well, good luck and all if I don't see you." She started to walk off again. "Cho, do you have a date for the Yule Ball yet?" Cedric blurted out. Cho blushed slightly, "no, not yet." "Would you like to go with me?" She fought back the urge to giggle, "I suppose that would be nice." Cedric bit his bottom lip, "great, it's a date." "Well, I best be going," Cho said awkwardly. "Yea, I have Potions down in the dungeons next," Cedric said suddenly motioning towards the direction behind him.  
  
Cho ran quickly back to her Ravenclaw friends who overwhelmed her with a bunch of questions.  
  
"What did Diggory ask you?" Marietta pushed. "He asked me to the Yule Ball," Cho said shyly. "Oh my God! You're so lucky!" said her fellow Ravenclaw fifth year Bre Phillips.  
  
The girls continued to giggle and dance around Cho in excitement. "Hey Cho could I have a word with you," said a semi-familiar voice from behind.  
  
The room suddenly grew dark like a graveyard and the overhead thunder made her shutter, "Harry?" she called out.  
  
Her eyes grew wide as the chubby bald man she had seen following Harry drew a knife and slit Harry's arm before her eyes. She ran towards the man and flung herself onto his neck, but it didn't faze him. Watching in horror she saw a ritual of evil enfolding before her eyes.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" she cried as she collapsed to her knees.  
  
"Cho, you have to be strong," she heard the voice of Cedric say suddenly.  
  
"Cedric, you're not dead," she turned quickly throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
He pulled her back gently, "no, I am. You're dreaming again."  
  
"What is going on, why is Harry tied to that gravestone?" Cho pleaded.  
  
"This is what happened when Voldemort came back to life," he said delicately. Suddenly he snapped his fingers and the scene disappeared into blackness.  
  
"Cedric?" Cho called as her eyes adjusted.  
  
"I'm sorry child, I should have never left you alone."  
  
"Grams?" Cho said with shock.  
  
"Yes, it's your old stupid grandmother," Lynn Chang said flatly.  
  
Cho felt the tears once again running down her cheeks, "I missed you so much."  
  
"There, there child, no time for tears now, I have to tell you something."  
  
"What?" Cho begged.  
  
Lynn Chang lowered her head, "about your destiny. I gave you that pendant around your neck, and when I did I told you it was a gift and a curse. Each guardian must find her own way, her own task, but you haven't the time. Harry Potter is a special boy, before his birth he was blessed with a prophecy. He is the only one who can vanquish the dark lord. It is his destiny, and a burden he alone must carry, but you child, must guide him there."  
  
" I don't know how," Cho said suddenly.  
  
Her grandmother nodded, "oh but you do, follow what your heart tells you, it won't lead you wrong. Trust your mind, not your eyes."  
  
"I'm scared, I feel so alone right now."  
  
"Wake child, embrace what you were born to do," Lynn Chang said suddenly.  
  
**  
  
Cho popped her head up from her pillow trying to replay everything she had just seen. She threw her covers off her bed and ran to the mirror staring at the reflection in the mirror, the small silver phoenix lay motionless. She let herself collapse into a nearby chair, and she didn't move until the morning sun began to rise in the sky.  
  
She didn't waste time getting ready, or even think about getting something to eat. There was one thing and one thing alone on her mind she had to find Harry. Cho wasn't even sure if Harry was even at Hogwarts right now, he might have went somewhere over Christmas break.  
  
"Professor!" Cho called spotting Professor McGonagall in the hallways.  
  
"Yes Miss Chang?" she said slightly startled.  
  
"Did Harry Potter stay at Hogwarts this year?" Cho said breathless.  
  
McGonagall stern face softened slightly, "actually he did, he's probably in the Gryffindor common room."  
  
Cho felt a wave of relief spread though her body, "I know this might be a bit of an odd request, but could you get him for me, it's urgent I speak with him."  
  
"I can see if he is in the common room, but I'm afraid that the extend of what I can offer, wait here" the professor replied before turning back towards the direction she came.  
  
It seemed like Professor McGonagall was gone an eternity. When she finally returned Cho almost screamed seeing the dark haired boy by her side.  
  
"Harry, thank Merlin," Cho said.  
  
"What are you doing back, I thought you went home for the holidays?" Harry inquired.  
  
"I did, but that's not important right now," Cho said quickly.  
  
Professor McGonagall left the two students and went quickly down the corridor.  
  
Harry approached Cho nervously, "is everything okay?"  
  
"I know about the prophecy," she blurted out.  
  
Harry face went stark white as he looked at her in disbelief, "how?"  
  
"It's my duty, my task to guide you though your trials, that's why I'm so drawn to you," she said before turning blood red.  
  
"I don't understand what you're talking about?" Harry said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.  
  
Cho smiled, "I'm the guardian of the Phoenix, the reason I keep dreaming about Fawkes is because he's part of me. I know everything you've been though, I've seen it though his eyes."  
  
"Cho, that is impossible," Harry insisted.  
  
"You're the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. Neither of you can live while the other survives," she said trying to prove her point.  
  
"How do you know that?" he asked desperately.  
  
Cho stomped her foot in frustration, "because I was there when Dumbledore told you, I heard Trelawney! I know what happened in the graveyard, I saw that man who cut your arm! He was following you in Hogmeade."  
  
"Wormtail?" Harry said quietly.  
  
"I don't know his name, a short bald man with a pinched face," Cho continued.  
  
Harry sat of the floor trying to absorb everything in, "I never told you about Wormtail."  
  
Cho knelt down next to him, "I know." "How did you figure it all out?"  
  
"I had a dream last night, and suddenly everything made sense," Cho admitted.  
  
Harry shook his head, "is that why you came back?"  
  
"No, my parents weren't to thrilled with the gift you sent me. My father forbade me from seeing you," she said weakly.  
  
"What gift?" Harry questioned.  
  
Slightly taken back Cho pulled the tiny dragon out of her robe pocket, "this gift."  
  
Harry took it from her small fingers, "I didn't sent it to you."  
  
"Yes you did," Cho argued pulling out the letter that had come with the package.  
  
Harry read it a few time, "this isn't my handwriting."  
  
"Did you get my letter?" Cho asked instantly.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes, "no."  
  
Harry looked at the wall suspiciously, "nobody is suppose to know where I am right now. I stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas because it was the safest place for me, Voldemort is trying to locate me, and I think he knows exactly where I am now."  
  
"He can't touch you in here," Cho said trying to relieve her worry.  
  
Harry shook his head, "Dumbledore's gone, he had to go to Bulgaria earlier today."  
  
"Hogwarts is protected," Cho continued.  
  
"Voldemorts been in this school before," Harry said suddenly, but he didn't need to explain Cho knew exactly what he was talking about.  
  
Harry grabbed Cho hand, "we have to find McGonagall."  
  
Cho tried to calm her breathing, "Harry, I need to tell you something."  
  
"What?" Harry asked looking around the corridor for any sign of danger.  
  
Cho held her breath, "I love you."  
  
Harry reared back onto her, "what?"  
  
"I love you, that's why I came back. I'm not going to let you die."  
  
"Cho," Harry started.  
  
"No, I'm not asking you to tell me you love me in too, I just wanted you to know why I'm here. I'm willing to risk everything for you, you're not in this alone," Cho finished.  
  
A strange noise suddenly drew their attention, "what was that?" Harry said jumping his head.  
  
"I don't know," Cho said softly.  
  
The two remained silent for a few seconds before Harry whispered into Cho's ear, "run."  
  
He tugged on her hand and the two tore down the corridor, "where are we going?" Cho asked.  
  
Harry didn't answer. He pulled her into about five separate corridors before reaching Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Lemondrops," Harry shouted as the statue opened to reveal the secret passageway.  
  
"No one enters without the headmaster's permission! Is that clear!" Harry shouted at the statue as he closed the entrance.  
  
"Why are we in Dumbledore's office?" Cho questioned.  
  
"Because it's the safest place in the castle, don't you remember last year when Umbridge couldn't get in? There are hundreds of charms protecting it. He told me to come here if anything happens."  
  
"But Harry nothing happened," Cho argued.  
  
Harry didn't take his eyes off the stairwell, "did you hear that noise, it was the secret passageway by the hump witch opening. Someone from the outside is inside Hogwarts."  
  
"Death Eaters?" Cho shivered.  
  
"We weren't sticking around to find out," Harry informed her.  
  
Cho feel onto her knees, trying to ignore the fear in her gut, "how do you do it?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Live without fear, how are you so brave?" she pleaded.  
  
He took a place next to her, "I'm not, I just don't have a choice."  
  
"Are we going to die?" Cho said feeling fear get the better of her.  
  
Harry lifted her chin, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, trust me."  
  
"What about Pavarti?" Cho said feeling stupid for worrying about such petty things at a time like this.  
  
"Pavarti? I'm helping her with Quidditch. She wants to play on the house team next year," Harry chuckled, making Cho turn slightly red.  
  
"Padma told me you told her to write you over Christmas," Cho confessed.  
  
Harry nodded, "I did, but only as a friend."  
  
Cho buried her head into her knees, "I feel so stupid."  
  
Another loud noise, this time it came from the entrance of Dumbledore's office. Harry drew his wand out with a look of determination on his face.  
  
"Can they get in?" Cho asked.  
  
"I don't know," Harry said not moving his eyes away from the door.  
  
Another loud noise, like something was attacking the entrance.  
  
The room was spinning and Cho drew her wand out same as Harry. She let her eyes rest upon his troubled face, and it hit her. If whatever was on the other side of that entrance got though, it could be last time she'd ever look upon his face. She grabbed his face quickly, without thinking and pressed her lips firmly against his. When they pulled apart she smiled.  
  
"Just in case I don't have an opportunity to later," Cho said with a newfound courage.  
  
The sound pierced the room again, louder this time and Fawkes let out a high-pitched cry. The sound hit again, and again the space between them shrinking, then suddenly everything went quiet. 


	21. Destiny Revealed

It did kinda sound like the movie Signs didn't it..sorry about that, wasn't intentional. I promise the aliens aren't after Harry and Cho (  
  
Well, no further delay...  
  
Read and Review Nothing Is My Own  
  
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Chapter Twenty-One: Destiny Revealed  
  
"Cho," Harry whispered over to her as the atmosphere of the room stood on spikes.  
  
She wanted to answer him, but her quivering lips wouldn't move she couldn't break the spell her eyes had on the staircase, and the sudden silence from the entrance was almost too much to bear.  
  
"Cho," he repeated, finally gaining her attention.  
  
"Why do I feel so cold?" she asked shaking violently.  
  
"Dementors, I'm willing bet it is," Harry said with determination.  
  
Cho took a few deep breaths, "what would dementors being doing at Hogwarts?"  
  
Fawkes let out a soothing melody and Cho felt a spread of relief spread though her body.  
  
Harry approached her and placed his robe around her shoulder, "we should probably stay here awhile, just to be safe."  
  
She felt the heat rising to her face, in a room alone with Harry? "I don't think Professor McGonagall would approve," she chuckled trying to ease her discomfort.  
  
"Do I make you nervous?" Harry teased taking a seat on the floor next to her.  
  
"No," she said suddenly.  
  
"You cheeks are telling me a different story," he continued letting his finger roll across her cheek.  
  
Cho knew her face was the color of a rip tomato, "how long do you think we should stay up here?"  
  
"Until Professor Dumbledore gets back or McGonagall tells us it's safe to leave," Harry said flatly.  
  
"What about everyone else in Hogwarts? Their alone out there with God knows what! What about Ron and Hermione?" Cho said suddenly realizing they weren't alone in the school.  
  
"Ron and Hermione aren't here, they went home for the holidays. Hopefully everyone else will stay in the common room where it's safe." Harry asked with seriousness in his tone, "Dumbledore told me to come up here at the first sign of something unusual, I can't always play the hero."  
  
Cho shivered again slightly, "I'm so cold."  
  
Harry rose and motioned her to give her hands to him to help her up. He led her over to the couch in front of Dumbledore's fireplace and drew his wand to light a fire.  
  
"There, is that better," he asked her.  
  
She nodded pulling his robes tighter around her shoulders. He took a seat next to her placing his arm around her to try to control her shakes.  
  
"Thank-you," Cho said slightly flushed.  
  
She knew that look in his eyes, those beautiful eyes. She could get lost in that green maze of mystery. When those eyes disappeared behind his eyelids she felt her head move forward, drawn to him by an invisible force. The kiss was brief, a moment in time between two searching souls.  
  
She pulled away from his tenderness and opened her eyes once again. She wasn't the only one shaking anymore.  
  
"I'll always be here for Harry Potter," she said softy as she nuzzled her head into his chest.  
  
The hours pass quickly as Cho relished in her blissful moments. It was the first time in a long time she felt peace. Harry's hand ran though her Raven hair in delicate strokes and she felt like a kitten longing for his touch.  
  
"Can we just hide in here forever?" Cho finally asked.  
  
Harry laughed to himself, "I was just thinking the same thing."  
  
Cho let her eyes drift into the dancing fire, the marvelous flames of red and orange. And green, she saw it clearly, the color green.  
  
"Harry, the fire," she said suddenly lifting her head off his chest.  
  
"What about the fire?" he asked looking into it with his own eyes.  
  
Cho pointed, "I saw green, in the flames, like someone was there."  
  
Harry made a grab for his wand to extinguish the fire a moment to late. A swirl of green light erupted and a figure cloaked in darkness emerged.  
  
"RUN!" he screamed at Cho as they found their feet.  
  
She didn't have time to answer when a curse flew at them knocking Harry off his feet.  
  
"HARRY!" she shrilled backing against the wall.  
  
The dark figure turned towards her, and she heard a small laugh escape, "wee baby Potter has a girlfriend."  
  
"NO!" Harry screamed scrambling to his feet.  
  
"I know you," Cho hissed recognizing that voice from her visions.  
  
The cloaked figure yanked her hood back exposing the tortured face of a once beautiful woman.  
  
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry said with more hate than word could describe.  
  
She laughed, "miss him do you Potter, don't worry you'll be joining him shortly."  
  
The fire swirled green again, "NO! we take him alive."  
  
"Damn it Wormtail, always ruining all the fun," Bellatrix reared on her companion.  
  
Harry drew his wand in the chaos and aimed it in Lestrange's direction, "the only way you'll take me is dead."  
  
"What about your lady friend here?" Wormtail said noticing Cho for the first time, "does she feel the same way?"  
  
Cho managed to control her shaking hand and drew out her wand, "I Do." She closed her eyes and let the warmth coming from her necklace engulf her completely, she lifted her hand and with a gush of sear energy flung the two cloaked figures against the wall.  
  
Harry dashed over to Cho's side and grabbed her hand pulling her towards the stairwell.  
  
"The fire Harry, we can floo back to my parents house," Cho said suddenly.  
  
"Dumbledore doesn't keep floo powder in his office," Harry said pulling her once again down the stairs.  
  
Bellatrix appeared at the top of the stairs and Cho let out one of her piercing screams. Bellatrix fell to her knees clinching her ears in pain. Fawkes made a dive at her head poking her violently with his beak.  
  
"This way," Harry said suddenly when they reached the bottom of the entrance.  
  
"Where are we going?" Cho questioned.  
  
"Nowhere," hissed the voice of Draco Malfoy. A group of hooded figures and three Dementors stood behind him.  
  
"Malfoy, I should have guess you had something to do with this!" Harry screamed.  
  
"Did you honestly think you'd escape, we've taken the castle," Malfoy informed them.  
  
Harry clinched his wand, knowing that he only had enough time for one good spell. The group of cloaked figures behind him would retaliate before he'd have time to get off a second.  
  
Cho again closed her eyes, "help me Fawks."  
  
Malfoy drew out his wand, "I'm going to kill you Potter, then I'll take my place by my father as one of Dark Lords most respected servants. I've been waiting for this a long time."  
  
"AVADA," that was all Cho heard before thowing herself in front of Harry to block the curse, as she did the room swirled and the two were suddenly far off in the hills that surrounded the village of Hogmeade.  
  
"CHO!" Harry screamed catching her twisted body as it fell into his arms. "NO, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!" tears streamed down his cheeks and he clichéd on to her lifeless form.  
  
Cho could hear his word, she could feel his tears on her skin, but she couldn't respond.  
  
"Cho," said a kind voice and in a surreal movement her eyes lingered on the figure of Cedric standing next to Harry.  
  
"Cedric, what happened?" she asked feeling slightly scared.  
  
"You've fulfilled your destiny, it's time to go now," Cedric said softly.  
  
Cho lifted herself off the floor and took Cedric's hand. She felt so light, so free.  
  
"Cho, please don't go, I love you," Harry cried burying her head into her body.  
  
"Harry," Cho finally cried turning to see his pain.  
  
Cedric smiled, "you always loved him, even when you were with me."  
  
Cho wanted to cry, but the tears didn't come, "can I not give him some peace?"  
  
Cedric sighed before reciting what seemed like beautiful poem.  
  
"Great Guardian of the Bird of Flames, Rest your mind, your heart, the same. You've done your task, your future seen- What must be done, remains undreamed.  
  
Beyond the world of death and pain- Is light, is beauty, so much remains. Trust your heart, and not your mind, Wake the beautiful angle of time.  
  
Forget not what you've seen or learned, True destiny is much swifter, and quicker to turn. It's time to go, to start again. Open your eyes, and let this dream end." 


	22. The Beginning

Read Author's Notes at the End.

Read and Review

Nothing is My Own

**********************************************************************

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Beginning

Cho jumped from her bed flinging the covers onto the floor. The sticky sweat coated her skin and she brushed back her dark hair from her eyes. 

"HARRY!" she screamed searching for something that made sense, but nothing did. Her bedroom looked completely right, not a thing out of place. The sun shining brightly though the window cast a warm glow on the floor. It was an eerie out of place glow. Resembling the glow in Draco Malfoy's eyes as he unleashed the killing curse.

She ran quickly to the window and threw it open, surprised by the warmness of the air. 

"It's warm outside," she muttered to herself confused. "How long have been asleep?"

She wasn't sure what was happening, the images of the corridor, the Dementors and Malfoy casting the killing curse ran though her mind. She looked around the room wondering how she had gotten back to her parents place. She distinctly remember her father telling her to leave, he definitely wouldn't approve of her risking herself to save Harry. 

"Cho dear, are you up yet?" she heard the familiar voice of her mother call.

"MUM!" Cho shrilled running to the door.

"Mum, what's going on? Why am I here?" she pleaded.

"Cho dear, are you feeling alright?" her mother asked concerned placing the back of her hand on Cho's forehead.

Cho shook her mothers hand off her forehead, "I'm fine, where is Harry?"  
"Harry? Harry Potter? I suppose he's at his house, where else would he be" her mother replied confused.

"So he got away, he's okay?" Cho said on the verge of tears.

"For heavens sakes child, what are you rambling about."

Cho couldn't believe her mother was acting like nothing had happened, "the attack on Hogwarts, remember? Me and dad got into a fight over Harry and I went back to Hogwarts. Then the Death Eaters attacked and Malfoy tried to kill Harry."

"Darling, you and your father haven't had fight, and it wouldn't make sense to go to Hogwarts right now, since it's closed for the holidays, you must have had a bad dream, " her mother said softly.

Cho placed her hand on her head, "I don't understand, how could this be?"

"Cho, you better hurry up and get ready, if you still plan on going to Diagon Alley today."

"Diagon Alley?" Cho said looking up again, "you mean, the term hasn't started yet?"

"Darling, you starting to scare me. Hurry up, I don't want you going to out on an empty stomach." Mrs. Chang implored.

Cho almost said what she was thinking, but changed her mind, "I guess I'm just a little rattled by my dream. I'll be downstairs in a few minuets."

"Okay, dear," her mother kissed her forehead before leaving the room.

Cho smiled trying to remain composed as her mother left. She couldn't believe what was going though her mind. Had it all been a dream? It couldn't have been a dream.

She let her finger find the small silver pendant of the phoenix hanging from her neck as a tear trickled down her cheek. It was so real, she looked down a noticed a small cut just below her collar bone where the curse had hit her in her dream. 

"Odd," she muttered rubbing it with the tips of her fingers.

She closed her eyes thinking about the words that she had heard before she awoke, "open your eyes and let this dream end."

"Thank-you Cedric," she whispered thinking about the soft words he had recited before she awoke. Even if everything else had been a dream, that part hadn't. 

She felt stronger, like things finally made sense. The small pendant danced in her small fingers, but it wasn't a dazed feeling like before, she felt empowered. She slowly walked back to her bed.

"Oh Harry, if only it hadn't been a dream," she said softly thinking about how real it had felt with their lips had touched. Dream or not her heart told her she loved him. A feeling a deep dread sunk down into the pits of her stomach, knowing she would probably run into him today. He would look at her and turn away with anger in his eyes. She would have to be strong and trust her heart.

Her hair felt tangled and her mouth was dry and sticky. She leaned over to her nightstand and picked up her hairbrush and began to run it though her hair. The anxiety building in her stomach was intensifying with ever stroke she made.

She rose back to her feet and walked over to her vanity just before she sat her hairbrush down something caught her eye and she gasped. It was the color green, the small color of the eyes that haunted her mind. 

The small silver pendant had changed; it no longer was silver, but green. A solid green jade stone in the shape of a small bird now hung around her neck. She smiled suddenly realizing it wasn't a dream at all, it was a vision. She had a destiny to fulfill, and a love to grow.

"Follow your path child, seize your future," the soft voice of Lynn Chang echoed in her mind. She reached her closet and pulled out her best robes and perfectly prepared herself. Today was a second chance, and she knew exactly what she was going to do.

__

The Trial by Existence: Robert Frost

Even the bravest that are slain  
Shall not dissemble their surprise  
On waking to find valor reign,  
Even as on earth, in paradise;  
And where they sought without the sword  
Wide fields of asphodel fore'er,  
To find that the utmost reward  
Of daring should be still to dare.

The light of heaven falls whole and white  
And is not shattered into dyes,  
The light forever is morning light;  
The hills are verdured pasture-wise;  
The angle hosts with freshness go,  
And seek with laughter what to brave;--  
And binding all is the hushed snow  
Of the far-distant breaking wave.

And from a cliff-top is proclaimed  
The gathering of the souls for birth,  
The trial by existence named,  
The obscuration upon earth.  
And the slant spirits trooping by  
In streams and cross- and counter-streams  
Can but give ear to that sweet cry  
For its suggestion of what dreams!

And the more loitering are turned  
To view once more the sacrifice  
Of those who for some good discerned  
Will gladly give up paradise.  
And a white shimmering concourse rolls  
Toward the throne to witness there  
The speeding of devoted souls  
Which God makes his especial care.

And none are taken but who will,  
Having first heard the life read out  
That opens earthward, good and ill,  
Beyond the shadow of a doubt;  
And very beautifully God limns,  
And tenderly, life's little dream,  
But naught extenuates or dims,  
Setting the thing that is supreme.

Nor is there wanting in the press  
Some spirit to stand simply forth,  
Heroic in it nakedness,  
Against the uttermost of earth.  
The tale of earth's unhonored things  
Sounds nobler there than 'neath the sun;  
And the mind whirls and the heart sings,  
And a shout greets the daring one.

But always God speaks at the end:  
'One thought in agony of strife  
The bravest would have by for friend,  
The memory that he chose the life;  
But the pure fate to which you go  
Admits no memory of choice,  
Or the woe were not earthly woe  
To which you give the assenting voice.'

And so the choice must be again,  
But the last choice is still the same;  
And the awe passes wonder then,  
And a hush falls for all acclaim.  
And God has taken a flower of gold  
And broken it, and used therefrom  
The mystic link to bind and hold  
Spirit to matter till death come.

'Tis of the essence of life here,  
Though we choose greatly, still to lack  
The lasting memory at all clear,  
That life has for us on the wrack  
Nothing but what we somehow chose;  
Thus are we wholly stipped of pride  
In the pain that has but one close,  
Bearing it crushed and mystified.

AN: Thanks for all the support on this story, you who have reviewed have been amazing…..I regret this is the end of this particular story. I think it was Slate07 that once said that this story wasn't very realistic or canon, and that is absolutely the truth. 

I must admit it has always been one of my biggest problems with this fic, and half way though it. I finally found my direction, and knew how this would end.   


If you enjoyed my writing you might check out my other published story:

Harry Potter and the Perils of the Unknown (it is much more canon)

Thanks again, and God Bless…………..


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